


It Was Always You

by chaosgroupie



Category: Actor RPF, Marvel Cinematic Universe RPF
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, Childhood Friends, Extremely Slow Burn, F/M, Friends to Lovers, Happy Ending, I want to smack them upside the head, Omg so angsty, Omg so slow, Seriously very slow burn, Slow Burn, There will be a happy ending, the slowest of burns, very slow burn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-25
Updated: 2020-10-04
Packaged: 2021-01-02 20:09:17
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 29
Words: 101,049
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21167162
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chaosgroupie/pseuds/chaosgroupie
Summary: Elizabeth Gray attends Rockland Country Day School, and during seventh grade, her class gets a new student. Sebastian Stan joins her class, becoming her partner, and very quickly, her friend. This is the story of their friendship over the years, how it develops and where it eventually leads.





	1. New Kid

1995

Standing outside the classroom door, Sebastian looked up at his new stepfather, trying to contain his anxiety. Wearing stiff new jeans and a polo shirt, he was already uncomfortable. Going from public to private school meant a new way of dressing, a new way of acting, not to mention trying - and failing - to make new friends. He didn’t want to do this, not even a little bit. “Do I have to? They will laugh at me.”

“Some will. But some won’t. The only ones that matter are the ones that won’t.” Anthony smiled warmly, laying a hand on his shoulder. “It will be fine, Sebastian, I promise. Mrs. Roberts is one of the best teachers we have here, she’ll take good care of you. There are good kids in this class, you’ll make friends, you just have to open up.”

“What do you know?” Sebastian frowned, trying to keep his cool. He liked his stepfather, he really did, but moving to another new school in a new country just made his life more difficult. The kids at his last school had mocked him for his accent, telling him to go back where he came from. Trying to make friends again was worse than having teeth pulled.

Sighing, Anthony put his hand on the door, “I know it’s hard, kid, but your mother and I care about you. Just try for her, okay? All we want is for you to be happy.”

Sebastian nodded and Anthony pushed open the door. As they walked in, the class went silent, all eyes on them. Anthony was the headmaster of the school, so everyone already knew him. He went over to Mrs. Roberts, handing her a piece of paper, saying softly, “This is Sebastian. He’s a little… shy.”

Mrs. Roberts smiled, “Don’t worry, Mr. Fruhauf, I have an idea of how to help him. Just leave him here with me and I’ll get him all situated.”

Anthony went back over to Sebastian, leaning down and saying into his ear, “I’ll call Georgeta and tell her to make  _ sarmale  _ tonight. Have fun.”

A smile crossed over his face at the thought of his favorite dish, but Sebastian kept his eyes trained on the floor. After his stepfather had left, Mrs. Roberts turned to the class, her hand on his back . “Everyone, this is Sebastian Stan. He’s going to be joining our class.”

The students said in unison, “Hi, Sebastian.”

“Mr. Stan, why don’t you tell us a little about yourself?” she encouraged. Sebastian just kept his gaze down, not saying anything. Sighing, Mrs. Roberts looked to the girl she thought could help him put him at ease. “Miss Gray, will you please raise your hand?” Elizabeth held up her arm, looking awkward and unsure. Pushing Sebastian toward the girl, she said, “Please sit by Miss Gray. She’ll be your partner for the year as she doesn’t have one yet."

As Sebastian headed back to the empty seat, Elizabeth watched him. Tall and slightly pudgy, he had wavy dark hair and blue eyes that stood out against his tan skin. He never looked at her, just sat down, keeping his gaze on the desk. She couldn’t help but be irritated with his presence, preferring to work alone. Working with partners never went her way. They either didn’t do the work - leaving her to finish the project alone - or they did and got both of them a bad grade.

Elizabeth worked hard to keep her grades up, studying or doing homework during the hour and a half long bus ride to school in the morning, and the two-hour commute back. Being a scholarship student, she relied on those good grades to continue attending Rockland. Even though art and writing were the only subjects she enjoyed, her mother couldn’t afford to send her to private school if she lost her scholarship, so she worked hard in order to make sure that she kept it. The other kids treated her like an outcast, not liking how smart she was, how effortlessly everything seemed to come to her, and being a year younger than everyone else didn’t help either. But they didn’t see the work she put in behind the scenes, the amount of studying she did to keep her grades up.

She kept glancing over at him, at his shaggy hair that flopped into his eyes, and the pencil that he twirled around in his fingers. His outfit was comparable to how everyone else dressed - nice but casual, every item looking new. Even his shoes looked new. Compared to him, she felt a little frumpy. Already outcast from her classmates because of her grades and her age, the fact that her clothes were second-hand added fuel to the flame of their cruelty. She tried her best to get clothes that would look nice when used, make her look more studious, but that only resulted in alienating her further as she ended up looking like someone's grandmother. Knee-length skirts with matching sweater sets or a blouse buttoned up to her neck, with tights and saddle shoes, her long curly hair in a tight bun at the nape of her neck.

Mrs. Roberts held a glass bowl in her hands, looking out at the classroom. “For our next class project, you are going to pick a country and do a report on it. Not just on the normal stuff about the country, but on something interesting or unique. For example, if you got Liechtenstein, you could write about how Switzerland once invaded them accidentally. However, Liechtenstein is not one of the countries in the jar, so you’ll have to actually do some research.” She grinned wider when the class groaned. “One person from every pair is going to pick a slip of paper, then until lunchtime, you will go with your partner to the library and research.”

She walked around the class, shoving the bowl under her students’ noses until reaching Elizabeth and Sebastian. Elizabeth expected to be the one to choose, so when Mrs. Roberts put the bowl in front of Sebastian, she felt confused. Mrs. Roberts always let her be the one to pick when she was part of a group, knowing that she liked to be in control. He drew a piece of paper and a brief smile crossed his face before being replaced by a frown. The paper crumpled in his hand and Elizabeth gave him a questioning look that he didn’t notice.

Reaching over, she picked it up off his desk and smoothed it out, seeing the word  _ Romania _ on it. She sat there, waiting for him to look at her, or to realize that the class had already left to go to the library. When she got too tired of waiting, she stood and put on her backpack. “Come on, there's only two hours until lunch, and we should get started on the project.” She couldn’t keep her voice from sounding snarky; she had no patience for someone who didn’t do their share of the work.

For the first time, he looked over at her, eyes widening. “Sorry,” he said softly, in an accent she couldn’t place.

Sighing, she tried to sound less demanding. “It’s fine. Follow me, this place can be confusing.” Leading him out of the classroom and into the library, Elizabeth went straight to the back where her favorite table waited. Most of the other kids sat with their friends in the main part of the library where several tables were clustered together. She just wanted peace. Once they sat down, she asked pointedly, “Are you mad me we got Romania?”

He didn’t look at her, seeming to study the inside of his backpack. Shrugging, he pulled out a notebook and a pen. When she glared at him, he sighed and frowned. Speaking slowly, he did his best to disguise his accent as he explained, “I am from Romania.” Her confusion just made him heave another sigh, irritated that he would have to explain further. It wasn’t that he hated his home country, he just hated that it made him different from everyone else. How kids would notice when he didn’t say a word like them, making fun of him for it. But he didn’t put these feelings into words, instead, drawing spirals on his paper hoping she would get the hint that he didn’t want to talk about it.

“Why did you move to New York?” she asked, unable to help herself. As his face fell, she added quickly, “Sorry, you don’t have to tell me. My mom says that I speak without thinking too often, calls it foot-in-mouth disease.” Her attempt at humor had no effect on him, so she tried another tactic. “Can you tell me something interesting about Romania? I bet you know something cooler than we could find in an encyclopedia.”

His face brightened slightly and she could tell that had been the right question to ask. His accent thickened, not so much that he couldn’t be understood, but enough that any of the other classmates would have ridiculed him for it. “Do you know Dracula?” She nodded, watching him with an intent gaze. “He is based on a real Romanian prince, Vlad Tepes. He was known as Vlad the Impaler because he would impale his enemies on stakes and display them along the roads.”

“Gross,” she wrinkled her nose, then laughed. “Mrs. Roberts will like it. She prefers when we do things out of the ordinary, like writing about Dracula.” Her gaze met his and she turned serious. “Just make sure you do your fair share of the work.”

“Why wouldn’t I?” Sebastian managed to look and sound offended.

“Most people don’t,” she shrugged, then stood up. “Let’s get some books. Even if you know everything about him, we still need references.”

For the next couple of hours, they worked in relative silence. Sebastian hunched over his notes, eyebrows furrowing as he concentrated. Elizabeth kept looking up at him, impressed that he was actually contributing. Every once in a while, he would mutter something to himself that she couldn’t understand. Probably saying something in Romanian without realizing it. But the sound of his voice soothed her instead of grating on her nerves like her other classmates.

At lunchtime, Mrs. Roberts came over to their table. “Miss Gray, I see that you and Mr. Stan seem to be getting along.”

Elizabeth smiled, happy that her new partner didn’t seem to be as insipid and brain-dead as all her other failed partners had been. “Sebastian actually works, unlike the other…”

“Miss Gray,” her teacher said sharply. “We do not denigrate other students. Just because they don’t work well with you, does not mean that they do not work.”

Sighing, she said contritely, “I’m sorry, Mrs. Roberts.”

Mrs. Roberts looked at her, satisfied that she wouldn’t do it again. “Now, you and Mr. Stan should get some lunch before you run out of time. Art class is after lunch today, and I know that’s your favorite subject.”

After she walked away, they started packing up. Sebastian looked over at her, asking quietly, “What is your name?”

“Elizabeth.” She shrugged her backpack over one shoulder and led him from the library.

“Elizabeth,” he repeated, giving her a small smile. “How long have you been going to Rockland?”

As they entered the cafeteria, Elizabeth let him pick the table. Her mother always said where a person chooses to sit can tell you a lot about them. He sat down at a table with no one else around, so she felt fairly certain he was at least almost as introverted as her. “I’ve been here since third grade, ever since…” She looked down at her bag, pulling out her lunch, not wanting to tell him that her father passed away, forcing her to attend a real school. “My mom home-schooled me until then, and now I go here.” She put her peanut butter and jelly sandwich in front of her, trying not to grimace that she had to eat them again for the second week in a row. Her mother hadn’t found time to go shopping and money was tight, so she tried to not be ungrateful, but it was hard to not get tired of the same thing every day.

Sebastian pulled a bag out of his backpack, unpacking his lunch. His eyes were appraising as he took in her meal compared to his. Taking one of the cookies his mother had given him, he held it out and offered, “Here, my mom makes good cookies." When she hesitated, he waved it gently in encouragement. "Chocolate chip.”

Not sure why he was being so nice to her but deciding not to question it too much, she accepted the treat with a soft, “Thank you.” Taking a bite of the cookie, she couldn't help but groan in delight. “This is so good!”

“I told you,” he grinned.

She took another bite, making sure to swallow before saying, “I think this is better than my mom’s cookies.”

He laughed loudly, a look of pure joy on his face. After a minute, he calmed and said, “I will have to tell her you said that, that will make her day.”

Taking the last bite, she licked the chocolate off her fingers, before returning to her sandwich. They finished their meals in silence. When the ten-minute warning bell to return to class sounded, Elizabeth grabbed her bag as she stood. “We should get back to class. Miss Johnson, our art teacher, expects us to have our supplies ready at the start of class.”

“Art?” his voice rose, sounding excited. “What kind of art?”

They walked down the nearly empty hallway toward the classroom. “I think today is charcoal sketching, but we do other stuff too. It’s kind of a mix of things. Miss Johnson likes to say that art is the expression of our soul , so we paint, draw, dance, sing, do improv…”

“Improv? Like acting?” Sebastian almost couldn’t contain his excitement. Maybe this school wouldn’t be so bad if he could act.

Elizabeth looked over at the smile on his face. “Yeah, like acting. It’s actually pretty fun. The only time it’s not is when the others are being mean.”

“Mean?”

She placed her bag next to her desk, then went over to the cabinet to get supplies for them both. Returning to her desk, she explained, “I’m a year younger than everyone else, so they make fun of me sometimes.”

“They do not like you?” He tried to keep the anxiety out of his voice, not wanting her to realize how much the thought of the other kids being mean to him freaked him out.

Shrugging, she replied, “So what? I like me.” She gave him a big smile. “My mom always says that there are two types of people in this world. Sheep and the dogs that herd them. You either do what everyone else is doing, trying to fit in, or you embrace your weird and stand out. I couldn’t fit in, so I embraced standing out.”

His eyes went wide as he looked at her. She really seemed to believe it. That you could like yourself and not care what others think about you. To have that kind of confidence, it boggled his mind. There was nothing he wanted more than to be comfortable in his own skin, to be able to ignore the cruel taunts of others around him, to not care what they thought about him.

She noticed his eyes seem to focus past her, not really seeing her anymore. After a second she said, “What’s your favorite subject?”

\--------------------

At home that night, Elizabeth took a big bite of macaroni and cheese with hot dogs that her mother had made. After swallowing, she asked, “Mommy, is it hard to learn a second language?”

Angela looked at her daughter curiously. “Why do you ask?”

“Well, there is this new boy at school and…”

A huge smile came over her face. “Does my Ellie-bear like a boy? Your first crush, this is so exciting!”

“Eww, Mommy. No.” She shook her head, glaring at her mother. “He’s new to New York, moved here from Romania. I just want to make him feel more at ease.”

“Oh baby,” she reached across the table, tucking a loose lock of hair behind Elizabeth’s ear. “You have such a big heart. How about this, after work tomorrow I’ll stop by the library and get you some language tapes. Then you can learn Romanian on your bus rides.” Her eyes grew sad, but she forced a smile, “Your father would be so proud of the young lady you’re becoming.”

“I miss him.”

“I know, baby. I do too.”


	2. Friends

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to the beautiful and talented MedievalContessa for betaing this for me. If you get the chance, go check out her stories. She is an incredibly talented writer and is helping to make me a better one as well. Better Than Me is my current fave of hers. Thank you, J!!  
https://archiveofourown.org/users/MedievalContessa/pseuds/MedievalContessa

1995

Over the next couple of months, Sebastian and Elizabeth became close. He was her only real friend at school, and even though she was a year younger, he didn’t treat her in the same condescending manner that their classmates did. He treated her like he actually enjoyed talking with her. When they worked on projects, he pulled his own weight, which made Elizabeth extremely happy. The fact that he made her laugh, that was just a side benefit.

She kept the fact that she was learning Romanian a secret from him. It probably would have helped to have someone to speak the phrases to, but she didn’t want him to find out before she felt at least a little confidence in her abilities. Every morning, instead of her usual studying for school, she would listen to Romanian language tapes, saying the words and phrases out loud. Then, every evening on her ride home, she would do the same thing. After two months of this, she felt fairly certain she could hold a basic conversation with him without looking like a complete fool.

As the school day neared completion, Sebastian looked over at her. “My mother asked me to ask if you wanted to come over for dinner tonight.”

“I’m not sure I should,” she said, thinking about her two-hour bus ride home. She did want to meet his mother. He spoke about her so often, Elizabeth felt like she knew her. But she knew that her mother wouldn’t want her taking the bus home that late. Even though they lived north of New York City, it still wasn’t safe for a twelve year old girl to be riding public transportation after dark.

“Come on, Lizzie, please.” He stuck his lower lip out and made his eyes wide, fluttering his lashes. “My mom is making _ sarmale _, you’ll like it, I promise.”

Throughout the weeks they'd known one another, Sebastian had learned quickly that if he gave a pitiful expression, Elizabeth would be putty in his hands. The same look worked when she used it on her mother, so she wasn’t surprised when it worked on her too. However, the only real time he used it was when she wouldn’t take food from him. He always brought too much at lunchtime and attempted to share with her. She had a feeling his overpacking wasn't accidental, but the food he had was infinitely better than her sandwiches, and though she rarely turned it down, she always made him work hard to convince her to accept the offering.

"Hold on, let me check something." She pulled out a paper bus schedule out of her backpack, quickly looking it over. The last bus of the day crossing the Hudson River left at seven, so she knew she would have to leave after dinner to get home without forcing her mother to drive to pick her up. “Fine, but I have to call my mom when we get to your house to ask for permission first. If she says no, I'll have to leave. She doesn't usually let me hang out with people after school and she'll worry if I get home late without letting her know.” 

They waited on the steps of the school until everyone else had already left for the day. When Mr. Fruhauf pulled his car up, Sebastian stood, his backpack hanging low from one hand as he began descending the stairs. Looking at him in utter confusion, Elizabeth just sat there, trying to figure out why he was heading for the headmaster's car. “Anthony is my stepdad,” he explained, answering her silent question. Even though Sebastian had told her a lot about his mother, he had never mentioned that Anthony was his stepfather, not wanting her to think he would get special treatment because of it. Her expression still stunned, she nevertheless followed him away from the building, climbing into the back seat with him and buckling in.

“Did you kids have a good day at school?” Anthony’s voice was deep but soft, much the same tone he used when acting as headmaster. All the kids at school loved him because he always treated them fairly, listening and talking to them like they were adults instead of children.

“It was good,” came Sebastian's simple reply.

“What about you, Elizabeth?” Their eyes met in the rearview mirror. “I see that Sebastian managed to convince you to come to our house for supper. _ Sarmale _night is a favorite of his.”

“School was fine,” her voice came out quietly. Even though she knew Anthony from school, seeing him in this context made her feel awkward. Usually, students don’t see their teachers or the school staff socially, so she didn't really know what the protocol was for something like this. The car fell silent, so Elizabeth took a deep breath to calm her nerves and added, “It didn’t take much convincing. I’m excited to meet Georgeta, Seb has told me a lot about her.”

“Seb is it?” Anthony’s eyes twinkled as he looked between them. From the corner of her eye, Elizabeth could see that Sebastian’s face had taken on a rosy hue. “Georgeta and I have heard a lot about you as well. Sebastian has told us all about the girl who never lets him slack off.”

It was her turn to blush, not knowing how to react to that bit of information. She talked to her mother about him because he was her only friend, but she didn’t know what made her so special that he would want to share with his parents. Looking over at Sebastian, she smiled. “He works hard without me forcing him.”

“Don’t listen to Lizzie,” Sebastian grinned. He had stopped working so hard to hide his accent around her, knowing that she didn’t care what he sounded like. It took a weight from his shoulders, being able to be himself when he was with her, not having to try and be something he wasn’t. He had to do enough of that with the other kids in class. “She is a slave driver.”

Smacking him in the shoulder, Elizabeth glared at him. “I am not. Take that back.”

“No,” he said, sticking his tongue out at her.

She gasped, “You didn’t.” She smacked him again, pushing him against the door as he laughed. “Butthead.”

Anthony just shook his head, chuckling to himself as he watched them bicker. Even pushing each other back and forth, they both smiled and seemed to be having fun. Sebastian hadn’t acted that happy in a long time, so to see him laughing and playing made him glad that he had put him in Mrs. Roberts' class.

\--------------------

They climbed out of the car, heading to the side door of the house. Elizabeth stared as they walked up. The house wasn’t particularly big, nor did it have a huge yard, but it was much larger than her apartment. Once inside, a voice from the kitchen called out, “_ Cina este aproape gata _(Dinner’s almost ready).”

“_ Mamă _, come here,” Sebastian called.

A beautiful woman with dark hair walked out of the kitchen, drying her hands on a towel. When she saw Elizabeth standing there, a smile crossed her face. She hadn’t been expecting company, but the smile on her son’s face made it so she wasn’t too angry with him. “Well, hello.”

Elizabeth took a step forward, summoning up the courage to do what she had been practicing for weeks. The only reason she hadn’t done it sooner was that she was scared to screw it up. She took a deep breath and said, “_ Bună ziua. Mă numesc _ Elizabeth. _ Îmi pare bine. Ai o casă frumoasă. _(Hello. My name is Elizabeth. Nice to meet you. You have a beautiful home.”

Georgeta’s face lit up. “_ Vorbești limba română? _ (Do you speak Romanian?)”

“_ Puţin. Încerc să învăț _ (A little. I’m trying to learn),” she replied, proud that she understood what she was being asked.

Behind Elizabeth, Sebastian’s mouth fell open. Who was this girl? In the two months since they had met, she had never hinted that she was trying to learn his language. How had he not noticed her trying to learn? Why hadn’t she told him? Her pronunciation was a little off, but the fact that she even tried to learn made him like her even more. No one had ever done something like that for him, especially not since moving to America. He couldn't understand why she would do something like this. So few people in America spoke Romanian. Why would she take the time to learn a language that he hadn't heard anyone else speak since they left Europe?

His mother’s gaze met his and she smiled at him, firing off, “Sebby, _ îmi place prietenul tău. _(I like your friend.)”

“Me too, _ Mamă _.” He chuckled softly when Elizabeth turned around to look at him, a confused look on her face. The smile etched onto his face seemed to have become a permanent fixture since she was pushed into his life. The last time he had a friend who made him that happy was back in Romania. He was going to have to thank Mrs. Roberts for making them partners.

“Do you like _ sarmale _, Elizabeth?”

Elizabeth turned back to Georgeta. “I’ve never had it, ma’am.”

She waved a hand, saying in a kind tone, “Please, call me Georgeta. Ma’am makes me feel old. _ Sarmale _is Sebby’s favorite dish, so I hope you like it.”

“If it’s as good as your cookies, I’m sure I will.” She thought for a second before asking, “Do you mind if I borrow your phone? I need to call my mom to let her know where I am.”

“Of course,” Georgeta said as she turned and headed back into the kitchen, leaving her husband and son behind. “It’s right in here.” When Elizabeth joined her, she pointed at the phone on the wall. “There you go.”

Elizabeth dialed the number she had memorized, listening to it ring. Her mother answered, “Angela Gray speaking. How can I help you?”

“Hi, Mommy.”

“Hey, sweetheart.” Angela sounded worried. “Why aren’t you on the bus home?”

“Sebastian invited me over for dinner.” Before her mother could argue with her, she assured quickly, “I looked at my bus schedule on the way here, if I leave by 6:30 I’ll be fine.” She looked over at Georgeta who was getting plates and silverware out to set the table. “I want to stay, can I?”

Angela sighed, “I just worry, that’s all.” She paused, trying to decide what to do. Working at an ER as an intake receptionist, she had been slammed all day because they were understaffed, and her boss had just come by asking if she could stay a few extra hours to help out. Normally, she wouldn’t say yes because she wanted to be home for Elizabeth, but if she was going to be coming home late then she could stay. “Can I talk to Sebastian’s mother?”

“Hold on,” Elizabeth said. Pulling the phone away from her ear, she looked at Georgeta. “My mom wants to talk to you.”

Georgeta took the phone. “Hi, this is Georgeta Fruhauf.”

“Angela Gray,” she stated. Then she realized what the other woman had said. “Did you say Fruhauf? Any relation to Anthony Fruhauf, the Rockland headmaster?”

Georgeta laughed lightly. “Yes, he’s my husband.”

Letting out a breath, Angela felt her tension ease when she realized whose house her daughter was at. “I’m sorry about my daughter. Normally, I would want to plan these kinds of things out with the other parent beforehand, especially…”

“I didn’t know either,” Georgeta interrupted. “Trust me, Sebastian and I will be having words later.” She looked over to make sure Elizabeth hadn’t heard. “I’m not upset at either of them, Sebastian sometimes acts without thinking. I told him to invite her over to dinner, but I assumed he would tell me before bringing her over.”

They both laughed. Angela added, “I understand. Ellie does that to me sometimes too. Not with friends, but with other things. I don’t mind if she stays. Actually, I picked up a few extra hours at work tonight, so it would make me feel a lot better knowing she isn’t home alone.”

“It is no trouble at all, she is a sweet girl. Would you like me to give Elizabeth the phone?”

“Yes, please.” Angela waited until the phone was passed back to her daughter. “Ellie-bear, it’s fine if you stay. But if you end up running late, give me a call, okay? I picked up a few extra hours tonight so I’m going to be at work until nine, but if you need me to come and pick you up, let me know and I’ll get off work early.”

“Yes, Mommy. Thank you.” She said softer, “I love you.”

“I love you too, sweetheart. Now go have fun with your friend.”

After hanging up, Elizabeth looked over at Georgeta and asked, “Is there anything I can do to help?”

Georgeta seemed surprised at the offer. “You can go and tell Sebby and Anthony that dinner’s ready. That would be a big help.”

She bounded out of the kitchen to the living room. They were sitting on the couch, talking about something. When she walked in, they quieted and looked at her. “Dinner’s ready.”

Anthony stood. “Thanks, Elizabeth.”

Georgeta had already plated the food, and they all sat down. Holding out her arms, everyone joined hands for the evening prayer. Even though Elizabeth wasn’t raised with religion, her mother had taught her to respect the beliefs of others, so she grabbed one of Georgeta’s hands and one of Sebastian’s, bowing her head.

After a quick prayer, Georgeta directed, “_ Poftă bună! _(Bon appetit!)” 

Elizabeth examined the food on her plate. A red sauce was drizzled on top of what looked like a mini burrito wrapped in lettuce instead of a tortilla. She cut into it, taking a generous bite and chewing. A variety of flavors hit her tongue at once - spiced meat, the tang of sour cabbage, with a hint of tomato sauce. She chewed slowly, letting the flavors marinate on her tongue.

Once she had swallowed, Sebastian elbowed her and asked, “So, what do you think?”

“It’s really good!” She cut another bite, holding it on the end of her fork as she said, “I’ve never had anything like it before.” She ate the bite at the end of her fork, then continued eating until the roll was all gone. She looked over at Georgeta, asking, “May I have another?”

“Of course,” Georgeta said with a smile, secretly overjoyed that her son’s friend enjoyed his favorite dish. As Elizabeth was cutting up her second cabbage roll, she asked, “When is your birthday?”

“August 13th,” she answered. When everyone turned to look at her, eyes wide, she felt confused. “What?”

Georgeta laughed, “No wonder you and Sebby get along so well. He was born on the 13th of August as well. So, I take it that you are thirteen as well?”

“No.” She shook her head. “I’m twelve. My mother homeschooled me for a few years, so when I entered school I tested higher and they had me skip a grade.”

“Well, I still think that it is _ soarta _.”

Sebastian kept his gaze on his plate, not wanting to get involved in this discussion. Whenever his mother brought up fate, he knew that her Romanian superstitions were bound to come out as well. And as much as he loved his mother, most of those superstitions were complete and utter nonsense.

Anthony stayed quiet as well, curious as to where his wife would take this. The children were young, so he knew she wouldn’t be planning their wedding this early. But he also knew that she could be pushy when she wanted to be, so he sat there, ready to rein her in if necessary.

When Elizabeth gave her a confused look, Georgeta added, “Fate, dear. It is fate that my boy met you.” She gave Sebastian a fond look from across the table. “He tells me that stuff is all just nonsense, but I believe that if something is meant to be, it will be. And you two being born on the same day… It is like God was conspiring to bring you two together to become friends.”

“I don’t know about all of that.” Elizabeth glanced over at Sebastian and saw how uncomfortable he looked, so she simply said, “I think it’s cool we have the same birthday. Means funner birthday parties. As long as he likes chocolate cake. Because it’s not a real party without chocolate cake.”

Sebastian’s eyes lit up, forgetting all about his mother’s earlier words on fate. “Chocolate Nutella cake.”

“Nutella? What's that?” Her nose scrunched up, trying to imagine what Nutella could possibly be that would make chocolate cake better.

“_ Mamă _, can we make a chocolate Nutella cake sometime?”

“Of course,” Georgeta replied. “But not tonight. We’re out of Nutella.”

The discussion ended and they finished eating dinner. Elizabeth helped bring the dishes into the kitchen as her mother had taught her. Georgeta wouldn’t let her help with anything else, so she joined Sebastian and Anthony in the living room and talked about the acting summer camp that Sebastian would be going to, the spring dance at school, and classes in general.

Anthony really seemed to be interested in everything they had to say, another quality that made the students actually like him as headmaster. He asked thoughtful questions, responding when they asked something of him. Never pushing for more than they were willing to share, but gently encouraging them to share more than they usually would have. 

They had been talking for what seemed like forever, in the middle of discussing winter break, when Georgeta came rushing into the living room, her voice panicked as she said, “Elizabeth, it’s after eight.”

Elizabeth’s eyes widened. “This is bad, my mom is going to be so worried. There’s no way she’ll let me take the bus this late at night, it takes too long. Now she’s going to have to leave work to come pick me up. ” She rose from her seat on the couch, rubbing her palms nervously on her thighs. “Can I use your phone again? I need to let her know.”

“Of course.”

Elizabeth dialed her mother. When the phone picked up, she stammered, “Hey, Mommy.”

“Ellie?” Angela sounded confused. “I thought you would be almost home by now.”

“I’m sorry, Mommy,” she apologized, trying not to cry. “We were talking and…”

“Calm down, sweetheart. It’s okay.” She waited while her daughter drew in a few deep breaths. “Why don’t you give the phone to Georgeta? I need to talk to her for a few minutes.”

Elizabeth did as she was asked, and at the wave of Georgeta’s hand, left the room. Her eyes hurt from trying to contain the tears that threatened to spill; the only thing stopping them was her desire to not cry in front of her new friend. She ended up out in the living room, sitting next to Sebastian on the couch, staring at her hands.

Anthony cleared his throat and inquired gently, “Are you okay, Elizabeth?” 

She dug her nails into her palms, hoping the slight pain would stop her from breaking down crying. “My mom is at work and is going to have to leave to come pick me up. She’s going to be so mad at me for not going home like I said I would.” Knowing it would make her fall apart, she made sure not to look at either of them, not wanting to see any sympathetic looks.

A hand touched her back hesitantly as Sebastian murmured, “It will be okay, Lizzie. I am sure your mom will understand.”

She looked over at him, grateful that his expression was neutral. Leaning against him, she started to reply, “I just…”

Georgeta walked into the room with the phone in her hand. “Elizabeth, your mom wants to talk to you again.”

Climbing off the couch, she took the phone and went back into the kitchen, not wanting to be around Sebastian when she got yelled at. “Hi, Mommy,” she said softly.

“I’m not mad at you, Ellie-bear," came the immediate reassurance. "I know you didn’t miss your bus on purpose.” When Elizabeth drew in a ragged breath, Angela added, “Georgeta and I have decided that you are going to stay with them tonight. My boss wants me to stay for a while longer, and with the long drive to pick you up and take you home, this will let you get to sleep at a decent time.”

Elizabeth started to cry softly, relieved that her mother wasn’t angry. Angela waited patiently for her to stop before saying sternly, “However, this is only for tonight, young lady. Next time you and Sebastian want to hang out, it can’t be on a school night and it needs to be better planned.”

“Yes, Mommy.”

“Now, I want you to be good for Georgeta, sweetheart. And tomorrow, no stopping somewhere after school. I want you to come straight home.”

“I promise.” She had learned her lesson. No way did she want to disappoint her mother again.

“Also, I want to meet this friend of yours. I’ve already discussed it with Georgeta, and we’ve decided that next Friday after school is a good day for him to come over. He can stay the night and we can go into the city on Saturday morning.” Before Elizabeth could reply, Angela added, “I love you, Ellie-bear.”

“Love you too, Mommy.” Elizabeth hung up the phone and went to the living room. The three of them were still there, sitting down and talking. “I guess I’m staying the night.”

Anthony stood and started heading back to the bedroom. “You’ll need something to sleep in. Sebastian, I’m sure your mother is going to give her your room, so go get yourself some blankets for the couch.”

Sebastian seemed to frown for a moment, but then he smiled. “I’ll be right back.”

After everyone had left the room, Elizabeth sat on the couch waiting. Georgeta and Anthony returned, items in their hands. Anthony handed her a large t-shirt. “You can wear this to sleep in.”

Georgeta held out another article of clothing. “We don’t have any clothing for girls, but Sebby had a few polo shirts that he’s outgrown that I haven’t donated yet. It will be a little big on you, but at least it will be something clean for tomorrow.”

Taking the clothes from them, she held up the t-shirt, seeing that it would come to her knees. She didn't bother to check the shirt from Sebastian's mother, gratefully holding it close to her chest. “Thanks.” When Sebastian came back in with the blankets, she headed to the bathroom to change.

Carefully, she folded her clothes and put on the shirt. Her body disappeared, completely covered by the massive amounts of fabric. She was young and small for her age, so the shirt seemed almost like a dress on her petite frame. Coming out of the bathroom, she saw Sebastian sitting on the couch that was already transformed into a makeshift bed. His parents were nowhere to be seen.

Placing the clothes on the table, she sat down to his right and smiled up at him. “Hey, Seb.”

“Hey, Lizzie.” He leaned over, bumping his shoulder against hers. “You will like my bed, it is comfortable.”

“I’m sure it is.” She pulled her legs up inside of the shirt, wrapping her arms around her knees. She brought up a question that she had been wondering since they had arrived at his house. “How come you don’t speak Romanian with your mom?”

His head fell back against the cushion and he groaned, “Not you too."

"What?" she asked plaintively. "I don't understand."

"My mom gets on my case too." Running a hand through his shaggy hair, he kept his gaze on the ceiling as he thought back to when he first met Elizabeth. How she told him that she embraces her weird, not caring if she stands out. To be able to ignore what the other kids thought, just be himself, he didn't think that he could do that; not yet at least. He said softly, "I just want to fit in. I am not like you. You are brave. I just want the other kids to like me.”

Elizabeth looked at him, glad he couldn’t see the sadness in her eyes. She didn’t know what to say that would help him realize that he was perfect the way he was. That he didn’t need to try and be something he wasn’t to please others. But she also knew that saying those things wouldn’t help. They hadn’t helped her when she was being ridiculed for how young she was a couple of years ago.

She leaned against him lightly, trying to offer her support through touch and changed the subject to something she knew he could talk about for hours with a big smile on his face. “So, what’s your favorite play?”

Sebastian sat up and looked down at her. His eyes sparkled with delight, getting to talk about his favorite thing, acting. “Well…”

\--------------------

The next morning, Georgeta woke up early since she had an extra child to get ready for school. Stopping by Sebastian’s room to wake up Elizabeth, she pushed open the door, finding a worryingly empty bed. She hurried out to the living room, intending to wake up her son and see if he knew where Elizabeth could have gone, but when she reached the doorway, she paused, gazing fondly at the sight she was met with. Sebastian was asleep sitting up, head leaned back against the couch cushion, legs stretched out on the coffee table in front of him. Elizabeth had her own legs tucked inside her borrowed shirt and was curled against his side, head on his chest while his arm was wrapped around her shoulders.

Quickly retrieving her camera, she snapped a photo of the scene before her. The two of them looked adorable. They must have fallen asleep talking because neither of them looked particularly comfortable. She could tell from the previous night that they were better friends than anyone else Sebastian had known before, and she would have been willing to bet her piano that they would stay friends for life. Knowing that someday they would cherish the memory of this moment, she took a few more photos to make sure she got at least one good one. Putting down the camera, she moved quietly, placing a hand on her son’s shoulder to wake him.

Blinking his eyes open slowly, he murmured, “_ Ce s-a întâmplat, Mamă _? (What’s wrong, mom?)”

“_ E aproape timpul să plecăm la școală. De ce nu e Elizabeth în camera ta? _(It's almost time to leave for school. Why is Elizabeth not in your room?)”

He glanced down and saw her curled against him, a few pieces of her hair loose and framing her face. She seemed so peaceful, he hated to wake her. “We were talking," he explained softly. "She got cold and I put my arm around her to help try and warm her up. She fell asleep while I talked about acting. I planned to wake her up, but I guess I fell asleep too.”

Georgeta brushed Sebastian’s hair back from his forehead, smiling fondly. “Well, it’s time to get ready for school. Do you want to wake her up, or should I?”


	3. New York

1995 

Sebastian and Elizabeth got off the bus, heading to her apartment building. Elizabeth walked slowly, slightly ashamed of where she lived. Her apartment was in a nice area of town, but it was a small place, nothing like his house. They couldn’t afford anything better, but still, it felt strange bringing him home to a place that was so much less than his.

She looked at him as they walked up the stairs. “Any requests for things to do tomorrow?”

He shrugged, trying to not seem too excited about visiting the city. His family had been planning a trip to New York City since moving here, but between school, his mother’s career, and summer acting camp, there just hadn’t been enough time to go. They were just outside the apartment before he finally admitted, “I’ve always wanted to go up to the top of the Empire State Building.”

Elizabeth put her key into the door, unlocking it. Hesitating, she looked at Sebastian before opening the door. “Try to ignore the mess. My mom works long hours and we don’t have… It’s a small apartment.” He nodded so she pushed open the door and walked in.

Since her mother worked until six every evening during the week, followed by an hour-long commute, they had the place to themselves for close to two hours before she would be due home. Elizabeth tossed her backpack on the floor. “I’m going to change. There are drinks in the fridge if you’re thirsty.”

While she headed to her bedroom, Sebastian set his backpack next to hers, looking around the apartment. The kitchen and living room were one area, an open concept with no counters separating anything. A big couch dominated most of the space, with a small table off to the side for them to eat on. The walls were covered in photographs. One wall was dedicated to the family. Pictures of Elizabeth throughout her life with her mother, and pictures from when she was younger with a man Sebastian assumed to be her father, even though he had never heard anything about him.

Another wall had photographs of the most random things. Out of focus pictures of dolls and toys, up-close pictures of varying types of flowers, buildings with unique architecture, and a section devoted to texture. He found one picture that he really liked, but couldn’t place why it resonated with him. It was a picture of Elizabeth’s mother holding a baby, a huge smile on her face as she laughed at the camera, a roof of rainbow-colored umbrellas above her head.

“My dad took that,” a soft voice said from beside him. Sebastian looked down, seeing Elizabeth had changed into a pair of leggings and an oversized sweater, her hair still in a tight bun at the base of her skull. “He was a photographer, traveled the world doing what he loved. That picture is from one of the trips he went on where he took me and my mom.”

He could tell that the picture made her sad, but he didn’t know why. “Where was it taken?”

She shrugged and pulled the frame off the wall, flipping it over to open it and look at the writing on the back of the photo. “Bucharest, 1984. I think I was six months old in this photo.”

“Bucharest?” He watched her put the photo back on the wall, then stared at it for a moment. When he spoke, his voice was quiet. “I thought I recognized it. This place is pretty famous. My mother has a similar picture of us, but I think I am older in it.” Elizabeth looked confused, so he clarified, “Bucharest is in Romania.”

She could tell that he was getting sad, so she moved over to the pictures of the flowers. “I took these. The pictures of the toys are mine too, but that’s from when I was little. My dad…” She had to stop and take a breath, trying to contain the tears that usually followed when talking about her father. “He taught me to take pictures when I was little. After he… after he died, I stopped taking pictures, not wanting to be reminded of him cause it hurt too much. But when I came home from school one day, my mom had put up all of his pictures. Now it makes me feel closer to him.”

Sebastian moved closer to her, bumping against her lightly to offer what comfort he could. “Do you take pictures now?”

She shrugged a shoulder. “Sometimes. I don’t have a lot of time with school and the bus rides back and forth.” Her eyes brightened when she realized that she could spend the whole day taking photos. “But tomorrow, I will see if my mom will let me take the camera. You better be prepared to have your picture taken a bunch.”

Laughing, he struck a pose, sticking one leg out, putting the back of a hand against his forehead and leaning back, quoting from his mother's favorite movie from the 50s, _Sunset Boulevard_. “I’m ready for my close up, Mrs. DeMille.”

“You’re such a dork, Seb,” she teased as she shoved him slightly.

He turned to her, fake glaring. “Take that back.”

“No,” she said, sticking her tongue out. “Are you going to make me?”

He started moving toward her, still glaring at her. “Really? I am stronger than you, Lizzie. I can make you take it back.”

She backed away, holding her hands out in front of her body for protection. “You wouldn’t dare.”

“Are you sure?” He grinned before bending over, hefting her up over his shoulder and carrying her to the couch. He tossed her down and leaned over her, his hands poised above her stomach. “So, are you ticklish?” She immediately shook her head, but he saw the flash of trepidation in her eyes and his grin grew. “I think you are.”

His fingers started dancing against her stomach and she couldn’t help but start to squirm and laugh as he tickled her. He kept it up, unrelenting in his assault for several minutes until she was laughing so hard that tears left streaks down her cheeks. When he stopped, he moved her legs out of the way and plopped onto the couch, watching as she struggled to calm down and draw a deep breath.

After a few more minutes, she wiped the tears from her eyes and looked at him, not even able to pretend that she was mad at him. His smile made it impossible to be angry at him for any length of time. It was so genuine and joyful, it made her smile as well.

“We should get some homework done,” she finally declared, rolling off the couch as she pushed herself up so she could stand.

“But…”

“Nope.” She put her hands on her hips, imitating her mother as she tapped her right foot on the floor. “We're going to get our homework done that way we can have fun all day tomorrow. No arguing with me, young man.”

“Yes, mom,” he agreed, his tone cheeky.

“Butthead.”

“Nerd.”

“And proud of it,” she laughed as she walked over to her backpack. “Come on, Seb. Let’s get this done so we can have fun later.”

\--------------------

Angela opened the front door, surprised to find it was quiet in the apartment. She had expected Sebastian and Elizabeth to be making some noise. Maybe talking or watching television, but the silence was slightly unnerving. Walking in, she carefully balanced the large box in one hand as she looked over at the kitchen table and saw them both working hard on homework. Shutting the door, she called, “You kids want pizza?”

Elizabeth's head popped up from her textbook, suddenly alert to her mother's presence. “Cheese?” she probed hopefully.

“I got half cheese, half pepperoni.” Angela glanced at Sebastian, taking in the adorable little boy sitting with her daughter. If they were any older, she would have been worried about them being alone in the apartment together, but they were young enough, and since they appeared to be well into their homework, she knew she had nothing to be concerned about. “You must be Sebastian?”

“It’s nice to meet you, Mrs. Gray.” Sebastian stood and took the food from her hands, setting it on the counter.

“Angela, please.” She set her purse down and opened the box. “Do you like pizza, Sebastian?”

“Yes, ma'am,” he confirmed, quickly gathering picking up his papers and shoving them into his backpack. “As long as there are no anchovies.”

“Oh, don’t worry,” she laughed as she retrieved some plates and set them next to the box. “Ellie doesn’t like fish… or olives.”

Sebastian looked over at Elizabeth who was trying not to look into his eyes. He could tell that she felt anxious about him knowing that bit of information, and even though he didn't know why, he wanted to make her feel more at ease. Tapping on the table, he smiled softly when she looked up at him. “Olives are okay, but not on pizza.”

She gave him a grateful smile. They each put a couple of slices on their plate and returned to the table, eating in silence. Sebastian thought it was a little strange they didn’t say grace before the meal, but he just closed his eyes and gave a quick silent prayer before digging in.

After they had finished, Angela gave him an appraising look. “Sebastian, why don’t you tell me a bit about yourself? Ellie has told me so much, but I’d like to hear it from you.”

He flushed, knowing the question would come, but still not sure about having so much attention on himself. Taking a deep breath, he started, “Well, Lizzie and I share a birthday. But I am a year older than her.”

“Lizzie, huh?” she smirked, looking over at her daughter who surreptitiously looked everywhere but at her mother. “Ellie says that you enjoy acting?”

“Yeah,” he nodded energetically; he loved talking about acting. “When I was still in Romania, I had a small role in a movie. Just standing on a train platform, but that made me fall in love it.” His eyes looked past Angela, gaze unfocused as he talked. “There is something about being up on stage, pretending to be someone else for a night.”

“Do you have a favorite play?”

“Ugh, Mommy, don’t ask him that,” Elizabeth jokingly groaned. “He’ll never shut up.”

“Elizabeth Rebecca,” Angela admonished. “That’s not nice to say about your friend.”

Sebastian and Elizabeth both started laughing, knowing that what she had said was in jest. He gave Angela a smile, “It's okay. She is right. I could go on for hours about acting.”

Angela looked between the children who both had identical happy looks on their faces and had to chuckle. “Well, I haven’t heard about it.” Looking at the clock, she saw that it was still relatively early. “And, tomorrow is Saturday so we can sleep in. So, talk away, Sebastian.”

\-------------------

Elizabeth woke up early, her excitement for going to the city overshadowing her desire to sleep in. Before going to wake Sebastian up, she went into the bathroom first. The one thing that she was truly insecure about was her hair. It fell almost to her waist, a riotous mass of light brown curls that never looked the way she wanted. Running her brush through her hair, she tried to calm down the frizz, then put it into a low ponytail, wrapping the hair around into a tight bun.

She didn’t bother to change, leaving on her pajamas as she sneaked out into the living room where Sebastian slept on the couch. She knew it was early, and even though they had been up late talking about acting - well, Sebastian and her mom talked, she just enjoyed watching how animated he got talking about the things he loved - she had no qualms about waking him up. Tiptoeing over to the couch, she pounced on top of him, sitting on his torso.

Sebastian’s eyes flew open and he bucked instinctively, throwing her off of him. When he came to full consciousness, he saw that she sat on the floor grinning, and he muttered rapidly, “_Lizzie, nu mă speria așa. Fată prostuță. Te-aș fi putut răni. _ (Lizzie, don’t scare me like that. Silly girl. I could have hurt you.)”

“My Romanian isn’t that good yet, Seb.” She climbed up and sat on the couch next to him, leaning against his chest. When he put his arm around her, she sighed, “Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you.”

“It’s fine.” He gave her shoulders a squeeze, then released her. Standing, he stretched to the ceiling, then scratched at his neck. “When are we planning on leaving?”

“Whenever my mom wakes up and gets dressed. She’ll drive us part of the way, but we’ll have to park and take the subway the rest of the way.”

“You kids get dressed, and we’ll go,” Angela said from behind them. When they turned around, she had to suppress a chuckle at their startled expressions. “We’ll stop and get breakfast on the way.”

She went back into her bedroom to get changed and Sebastian looked over at Elizabeth. “Does she always sneak up on you like that?”

“Where do you think I get it from?” she laughed.

\--------------------

They stepped off the subway, very near the Empire State Building. Angela pulled something out of her bag, handing it to her daughter. “Ellie-bear, your father would want you to use this.”

Elizabeth accepted the camera, clutching it to her chest. She didn’t know what to say. Her father had meant so much to her; holding his camera just brought back all those feelings. It was the same camera that had taken pictures of her as a child, the same camera that he used to take photos for his job at New York Magazine. Having it in her hands made Elizabeth feel like he was there with her.

Sebastian could tell that she was feeling overwhelmed, so he interjected, “Where to first?”

Thankful that he interrupted her thoughts, she pleaded, “Mommy, can we go to the Empire State Building first?”

“Ellie,” Angela cringed; she hated heights. “Will you be okay on the balcony, just the two of you?”

“Of course, Mommy.” She gripped the camera tighter, then lifted it to her eye and pointed it at her mother. “Smile.” She snapped a picture, capturing the delight in her mother’s eyes, seeing her daughter make use of her father’s most prized possession.

When she turned the camera to Sebastian, he stuck his thumbs against his head, waggling his fingers like moose antlers and sticking out his tongue. She took the picture, quickly taking another one when he put his hands down and laughed loudly, mouth open in wide smile and eyes closed.

All three of them headed up to the observation deck of the building, Angela staying near the entrance so she didn’t have to get anywhere near the edge. Grabbing Sebastian’s hand, Elizabeth pulled him out onto the observation deck and over to the railing, where a wire netting would stop anyone from falling over the side.

She stood on her toes, peering over the rail to the city below. Sebastian stood next to her, looking down as well. “Wow, we are really high.”

“Yeah.” She stepped back, taking another picture of him looking over the cityscape.

Hearing the shutter click, he narrowed his eyes, giving her a mocking glare. She took a couple of steps back and he curled his fingers like claws, lunging towards her. “I am going to tickle you if you do that again.”

She took another picture and he moved like he was going to reach for her stomach. She started laughing even though he didn’t touch her. “No, Seb, don't!”

“Don’t worry, Lizzie. I will leave you alone... for now,” he winked. His gaze scanned the crowd and stopped on an older couple walking around. “I think we should take a picture, together.”

“Together?"

He nodded and gestured to the couple who came over. The woman looked at the two of them, asking, “How can we help you?”

Sebastian took the camera from Elizabeth and handed it to her, “Can you take a picture of us?”

“Ah, young love,” she swooned to her husband, soft enough that Sebastian and Elizabeth couldn’t hear as they stood against the railing. She called out, “Let me know when you’re ready.”

Sebastian looked down at his friend, an evil grin on his face. Elizabeth glanced up at him, feeling worried for the first time that day. “Seb, what’s that look for?” He just continued to grin as he reached for her. “Seb?”

Picking her up, one arm under her legs, the other under her back, he spun her around then stopped facing the couple. The woman watched them, snapping a couple of photos as he held Elizabeth. In his arms, she was laughing and squealing at the same time, her arms gripping tightly around his neck just in case he dropped her. When he finally put her down, she wiped at her eyes then stood sedately next to him, saying to the woman, “We’re ready.”

The woman laughed and took one last picture of them standing there with huge grins on their faces. She handed the camera to Elizabeth before looking each of them in the eyes. “Treasure each moment with each other. Life is too short to take any second of it for granted.” Then she walked away, joining her husband.

“What was that about?” Elizabeth wondered, tilting her head as Sebastian shrugged. They headed for the door of the gift shop, intending to find her mother so they could go to the next spot.

“I do not know.” He held the door open and gestured for her to go first. “But that was fun.”

Her eyes softened as she looked up at him, trying to be mad that he had manhandled her, but all she could think was that she hadn’t had this much fun in ages. Smiling, she agreed, “Yeah, it was. But no more picking me up. You might drop me.”

Sebastian stopped, backed up a couple of steps and looked her up and down. “Lizzie, you are tiny, I could carry you all day and not get tired.” He grinned cheekily. “Want me to prove it?”

“No, no,” she giggled, shaking her head. “That’s okay. I believe you.”

“So, where to next?”


	4. Party Time

1996 

“Come, Lizzie, it will be fun.” Sebastian stuck out his lower lip, trying to see if pouting would work. He wanted to go to his friend's party, but his mom would only relent if Elizabeth went with him. She had said something about her being a good influence on him, keeping him on the straight and narrow.

Elizabeth sighed, putting every ounce of her reluctance into it. “Do I have to? I know that Eric is your best friend, but it's awkward being around you guys. You spend your time talking in sign language and I get left out.” She held up a hand, stopping him before he could repeat the same thing he had been for months. “Yes, I know that I could learn. But when do I have time? I’m still working on my Romanian, and I’m trying to keep my grades up.”

“You need to live a little, have some fun.” He put his arm around her, dragging her down the school hallway toward their next class. “Sign language is easier than Romanian. You don’t even have to make full sentences for him to understand. At least not with Eric. I say ‘car, home, pizza’ and he knows I’m asking if he wants to come over to my house for pizza night.”

“But a party, Seb?” she heaved out in exasperation. “Why? I thought you didn’t like most of the kids here.”

“It’s not that I don’t like them,” he said, keeping his voice soft so no one would overhear him. “It’s that…”

She stopped in the hallway, forcing him to stop with her. Turning to him, she gripped his shoulders, tilting her head to look into his eyes. “I know.” And she did. He wanted nothing more than for people to like him, to be his friend. She didn’t care about things like that, preferring to remain in the background, but he needed people. He needed to feel like others liked him. “If I go to the party, will that help? Is this what you want to do?”

He nodded, trying not to look too excited. “_Da, chiar vreau să merg. Știu că preferi să citești o carte sau să faci poze, dar va fi distractiv, promit. _ (Yes, I really want to go. I know that you would rather read a book or take pictures, but it will be fun, I promise.)”

“_Româna nu mă va face să spun da, Seb. Dar voi merge. _(Romanian won't make me say yes, Seb. But I will go.)” The instant she said that he spun around in a circle, hands in the air as he made a happy noise. She added softly enough that he couldn’t hear, “All I want is for you to be happy.”

At that moment, Eric walked up. The three of them had met in seventh grade when Eric found their hidden table in the back of the library. He had joined them and started signing as if he expected them to know what he was saying. When Sebastian had signed back, Elizabeth had been so confused. After several minutes of prodding, she managed to find out that they had known one another for months. Georgeta gave piano lessons as a side job when she felt bored, and Eric was a client. Even though he could only hear bits of the music, he felt the vibrations that emanated from the grand piano. Those were some of his favorite times. When he felt the most normal.

Over the summer, he grew several inches, taking him from a cute chubby kid to one that was tall and gangly. With long slender limbs, braces, and reddish-orange hair, he wasn't conventionally attractive. But the huge smile he always had on his face made up for what he lacked in looks.

_ Hey, Sebastian. _ Eric made sure to move his fingers at a slower pace, knowing his friend was still learning to sign. He wasn’t completely deaf and wore hearing aids to help, but sign language was easier for him. Plus, even with the hearing aids, he tended to miss most words, as most people talked too fast or mumbled. _ Did Georgeta say you could come? It’s a boy-girl party, so you know what that means. _He waggled his eyebrows playfully.

_ What? _ Sebastian snuck a glance at Elizabeth, hoping she wasn't irritated. But she had dropped her gaze into her book, ignoring them like she usually did when their hands moved. He knew that she didn't intend anything malicious by it. By ignoring them, she didn’t have to be ignorant about what they said, something that she hated. She could always say that she didn’t see them, instead of having to admit she didn't understand.

_ Girls, man. Girls. _ Eric grinned. _ Do you know what girls like to do at these parties? _

_ No, I don’t. _

_ They want to play games. _ He snuck a glance at Elizabeth, the girl he had been crushing on ever since he had first seen her in third grade. She never noticed him, but he had noticed her. When he saw that the new kid was friends with her, Eric thought that he would have an in, a way to get her to notice him. So he'd befriended Sebastian, not expecting to actually like him as much as he did. _ Kissing games. _

Sebastian snuck another glance at his best friend, trying to avoid looking at her full lips. Trying to avoid wondering about what they would feel like on his. Would they feel soft on his from all the chapstick she used? Would she sigh and lean against him, as Andrea had under the bleachers that one time at the football game? Shaking his head, he tried to remind himself that she was like a sister to him. Thinking of her in that way was bound to get him in trouble. _ Kissing games? Like, with actual kissing. _

_ Yes, stupid. Like with kissing. _ Eric laughed and Elizabeth looked up. _ It will be fun, Sebastian, I promise. _

“Hey, Eric,” Elizabeth said, making sure that he was looking her way before speaking. She knew from past experience that he could read lips, so she made sure to enunciate each syllable. “Can you teach me sign language?” He looked surprised but shrugged and nodded. _ Thanks _, she signed, using the only one she actually knew.

\--------------------

Anthony pulled the car up in front of Eric’s house, turning around in his seat to look at Sebastian and Elizabeth. They were out of their school clothes, wearing their ‘casual’ attire. His son wore jeans and a faded vintage Star Wars shirt he had found at a garage sale, while Elizabeth wore a pair of leggings with an old oversized shirt of Sebastian’s. It didn’t fit him anymore, so she had stolen one night when they had another sleepover, staying up all night talking.

“You kids have fun tonight.” Getting serious for a second, he lectured, “Now, if you want to come home, for any reason at all, you give me a call. I will come and pick you up. If there’s drinking, I expect you to behave and not get into any trouble. I won’t yell at you for drinking, but don’t be stupid about it.” Anthony looked over at Elizabeth to make sure that she paid attention to his next statement. “Your mother told me the same thing. If you don’t feel comfortable calling me, call her. Okay?”

Elizabeth nodded, but Sebastian frowned. “It’s only a few friends, Anthony. We are not going to get drunk, or throw a… _ care este cuvântul pentru petrecere nebun _? (What is the word for crazy party?)” He looked down at Elizabeth with a furrowed brow.

“Kegger,” she supplied.

“We are not throwing a kegger.”

“All the same, be careful,” Anthony repeated.

Before Sebastian could argue some more, she laid her hand on his arm, giving him a sharp look. “We promise, Anthony. We’ll be careful. If there are any problems, we’ll call you, or my mother.”

“Thank you.”

They climbed out of the car, heading to the house. Sebastian seemed irritated, so Elizabeth grabbed him as Anthony pulled away. Stopping him, she forced him to look at her. “What’s wrong with you, Seb?”

“_Mă tratează ca pe un copil _ (they treat me like a child).”

“Seb, we are kids.”

“I’m fourteen, Lizzie.”

She sighed, exaggerating her irritation to get him to realize how childish he was acting. “Fine, you’re not a child. But he’s your dad, he wants you to be safe. That’s it.”

“He’s not my…”

She slapped a hand over his mouth, glaring at him. She stressed, “He may not be your biological father, but he’s still your dad. He cares more about you than most real fathers do.”

Trying to be gentle, he peeled her hand away from his mouth. He tried again to explain, “Lizzie, he’s not…”

“Dammit, Seb.” She pulled away, frustrated that he would disregard the only father he had when hers was gone. “I would give anything to have my dad back. Anything. And you have one, even if you're too stubborn to realize it.” Elizabeth stalked toward the front door, ringing the doorbell.

Sebastian moved next to her, shuffling his feet from side to side as guilt seeped in. “I’m sorry,” he conceded.

The door opened and Eric looked at them, grinning. When he saw the forlorn expressions on their faces, his smile fell. _ What’s going on? _

_ It’s nothing, Eric. Don’t worry about it. _ Sebastian forced a smile onto his face. _ So, where are all these girls? _

_ Downstairs, in the basement. _

Sebastian signed and spoke at the same time, “Dude, in the basement?”

“Basement?” Elizabeth asked.

“That’s where the party is, the dank and musty basement.”

_ It's not dank and musty. I'll have you know that my parent's upgraded the basement last year. It's state-of-the-art_ _, with a pool table and everything. _

They followed Eric downstairs, which was actually pretty nice. When they entered the room, Elizabeth noticed that it was an even split of boys and girls. With the addition of the two of them, there were five boys and five girls. She recognized one of the girls from her class who had recently taken to trying to be her friend. 

She walked over to them, bumping her shoulder against Elizabeth's. “You came,” she gushed, sounding excited. "I thought for sure you wouldn't."

“Yeah, Olive, I came.”

“It’s Ollie. For the love of God, please call me Ollie. My mother named me after Popeye's girlfriend, Olive Oyl. That's not something I like to remember.” She laughed, her smile a little bit too large. “I’ve been talking to the other girls. It seems like we're playing a game tonight. Do you know what?”

“No?” Elizabeth looked at the girl, confused. They were friendly, but not friends. None of the girls in her class were 'friends' with her. She glanced over at Sebastian, realizing why this girl was talking to her. “You like Sebastian,” she accused.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Olive’s face turned red as she looked away, a dead giveaway that she had a crush on Elizabeth’s best friend. “I don’t like him.”

“Ollie…”

“I don’t,” she repeated, turning back. She saw Elizabeth standing there, arms crossed over her chest, a glare marring her elfin features. Olive sighed, admitting, “Fine, I like him.”

Elizabeth decided to ask the question, even though she didn't want to know the answer. “What kind of game are you hoping we’ll play?”

Olive’s face burned brighter. She stumbled over her words, “I… I heard there might be…” Her voice lowered to a whisper, “Kissing.”

“And you want to…”

“Yes,” she replied, keeping it succinct.

Elizabeth struggled to hide the fact that she wanted to roll her eyes. In theory, she understood that around this age, girls began to find boys attractive. But in practice, she didn’t get it. Looking over at Sebastian, she gave him a thorough once over. He was tall, a trait that a lot of girls seemed to like. Taller than her by a good several inches with hair shaggy enough that it sometimes fell in his eyes. He also had the prettiest blue eyes she had ever seen. When he smiled, they seemed to light up with life, making her happy whenever he did. She could see why Olive would like Sebastian; he was a great guy. Yet, she still couldn’t understand why she would want to kiss him.

“Do you want me to ask…”

“No,” Olive almost yelled. When a few people looked over, she lowered her voice and hissed, “Don’t ask him. I don’t want him to know that I like him.”

Elizabeth raised an eyebrow. “I was going to ask if you wanted me to ask Eric what game we’re playing. That’s it. I’m not playing matchmaker for you.”

A whistle sounded and the room quieted. They all looked over at Eric, whose commanding presence radiated out as he signed. Sebastian voice the words as he did, “Who wants to play a game?” Everyone cheered, except Elizabeth. “You have a choice between spin the bottle, and seven minutes in heaven. Who’s in favor of spin the bottle?” A couple of hands raised. “Seven minutes in heaven?” More hands went up. “Alright, seven minutes in heaven it is. I have two rooms down here, so we’ll have two couples go at once. We’ll spin the bottle to choose.”

Everyone sat down on the floor in a circle, sitting with a girl between each set of boys. Eric went first, spinning the bottle. It landed on a petite brunette who blushed when he grinned. He wanted to get Elizabeth, but Rachel was a good second choice.

Then, he pointed at Sebastian. _ Your turn man. _

_ Maybe someone else should go next. _

“If you’re going to sign, you need to say it out loud too,” one of the other guys said. He scowled at Sebastian, “Spin the damn bottle.”

Sebastian did, watching it spin round and round. When it stopped, pointing right next to him at Elizabeth, he stiffened. He couldn’t look over at her, not wanting to see her reaction. The only thought in his head was the one from earlier, that her lips looked soft. Why couldn’t he get that out of his mind? He didn’t like her, not that way. Right?

The couples got up, going to their respective rooms. As Eric was hosting the party, he got the larger room that housed the washing machine. Sebastian and Elizabeth got the closet. There was a light inside so they didn't have to fumble around in the dark, but they stood there, the silence awkward.

Elizabeth didn’t know what to do. She had never kissed a boy before, and she didn’t want to kiss Sebastian. He was like a brother to her, so kissing him seemed wrong. They could stand there for seven minutes, then go out and pretend to have kissed. Then the other kids wouldn't make fun of them for not doing it.

While they avoided looking into each other’s eyes, Sebastian’s gaze kept dropping to her lips. He wondered if they would taste like her cherry chapstick. Finally, he closed his eyes, trying to stop himself from looking.

“What’s wrong, Seb?” she whispered, trying to keep whoever was listening outside the door from hearing.

“Nothing.”

“I know you. You’re my best friend.” She laid a hand on his chest, trying to reassure him. When his eyes opened and he looked down, her heart started to beat faster. “You’re being weird, Seb.”

“We should kiss,” he rushed to get out.

Her mouth fell open in shock. “What?”

“We should kiss. It’s what they expect from us. What if they open the door and we’re standing around talking.” He tried to think of other excuses why they should do it, trying not to sound eager. He didn’t want to kiss her, he would swear to that fact. But the thought kept running through his mind, over and over again, beating around inside of his skull.

“Seb…”

“You can pretend I’m someone else if that helps.” Reaching up, he held her face in his hands, thumbs rubbing her cheeks. Lowering his face, he pressed his lips against hers, sighing when he noticed that her lips were softer than he had imagined. He left them there for several seconds, before pulling away, but still held her face in his hands.

Elizabeth’s heart pounded, the room seeming to sway as he touched her. All she wanted was for him to kiss her again, but she couldn’t understand why. He was like her brother, but right then, all she desired was another kiss. Reaching up, she wrapped her hands around his wrists, trying to keep her voice calm. “Hmm, I don’t know if that counts as a kiss, Seb. That was barely a peck.”

Sebastian couldn’t believe what he was hearing. It sounded like she wanted him to kiss her again. But that couldn’t be, could it? He searched her eyes, trying to figure out what she wanted from him. When she smiled, he found himself responding in kind. “Maybe we should try again.”

“Maybe we should.”

He lowered his face, pressing his lips against hers again. This time, his tongue darted out, the tip grazing her lips. She sighed, and as her mouth parted, he slipped his tongue inside. He could tell that she didn’t know what she was doing, but she caught on quick. They spent the next couple of minutes kissing, pulling apart only when there was a knock on the door. Someone yelled, “One minute.”

Sebastian pulled away, noticing that her lips had turned red and puffy from the kiss, but he didn’t care if everyone knew. That’s what the game was for, right? Kissing people. He forced a teasing grin to his face, trying to hide the fact that he had enjoyed it more than he should. “How was that? Does that count as a kiss?”

Taking several deep breaths, Elizabeth attempted to compose herself before replying, “Yes. That definitely counted as a kiss.” Her best friend had been her first kiss, ever. And she had liked it. A lot. More than she ever dreamed she would like her first kiss. As they stood there, waiting for the time to run out, she realized something. She liked him, as more than a friend. It was hard to pinpoint when her feelings had changed from sisterly to more, but the kiss had sealed it for her. She liked him. Too bad he would never think of her that way.

“Good. I am always glad to be of service.” He gave her a friendly side-hug. “That’s what friends are for.”

“Yeah,” she replied, hiding her disappointment. “That’s what friends are for.”


	5. Birthday Wish

1997

Getting off the bus, Elizabeth meandered toward Sebastian's house. For the last several years, she had to attend a day camp during the summer while her mother worked, not being old enough to stay home alone. She was grateful that this year, her mother had opted to allow her to spend most of her time with Sebastian. It ended up being less stress on her mother because it was cheaper, and she got to hang out with her best friend all day. Well, except for the month he was away at acting camp.

During that month, she came over two to three days a week, hanging out with Georgeta. As headmaster, Anthony spent most of his time at Rockland, and even when he was at home, he worked. There was the next year to prepare for and he had to deal with any issues that popped up during summer classes. Since Elizabeth was over at their house so often, Georgeta decided to help her become more fluent in Romanian. Immersing her in the language by only speaking in English when she needed to explain a concept. For fun, she also attempted to teach Elizabeth how to play the piano. After a few tries, Georgeta learned that she didn't have the coordination necessary to use both hands to play the more complicated pieces. But, with a little bit of teaching, she learned  _ Chopsticks  _ and  _ Heart and Soul _ .

Elizabeth climbed the steps to the porch then pressed the doorbell, waiting for it to open. Georgeta smiled at her and gestured for her to come in. “Elizabeth,  _ ai venit mai devreme azi _ (you are here early today).”

“ _ M-am trezit devreme. Am vrut să-i dau lui Seb cadoul de ziua lui. _ (I woke up early. I wanted to give Seb his birthday present.)” She held up a heavy bag. “ _ S-a trezit  _ (is he awake)?”

“ _ Nu încă  _ ( not yet).” Georgeta couldn’t help but smile. This little girl, who was still much smaller than her Sebastian, had wormed her way into their lives. If she could have convinced Angela, she would have Elizabeth over every day this summer. But she knew that her mother was too proud to accept any help that way. In the two years that their kids had been friends, she had learned at least that much about her. Especially the fact that she didn’t like others to know that she struggled financially. By saying that she would teach Elizabeth Romanian and the piano, Angela had allowed her to come over a few days a week.

Elizabeth grinned turned mischievous, forgetting to speak Romanian. “Do you think it would be okay if I went and woke him up?”

Shaking her head, Georgeta stifled a laugh. “Of course.”

Putting down her backpack, Elizabeth carried the gift bag with her up the stairs to his bedroom. Sebastian wasn't the biggest fan of getting woken up early or having someone scare him awake. But she wanted to do it anyway, always enjoying the look of surprise on his face when she did.

The door squeaked as she pushed it open and she held her breath, waiting for him to wake up. He mumbled something and rolled over in his sleep. Setting the bag down on his dresser, she toed off her sneakers and crept toward the bed. When she was a couple of feet away, she leaped onto the bed, bouncing on the mattress.

He sat up in bed, startled awake, flailing around. Hitting Elizabeth by accident, he had to grab her arm to keep her from falling off the bed. He glowered at her. “Seriously, Lizzie? What is with you and waking me up like that? One of these days I’m going to hurt you.”

“Seb,” she said, flopping onto the bed, her head on his pillow. “You would never hurt me. I’m too adorable.” She said the last bit with a smirk on her face.

“Oh, you think you’re adorable?” He loomed over her, staring down into her hazel eyes. His gaze dropped to her lips for a second before moving away. It took every ounce of his willpower to force himself not to look. Ever since the party last year, he hadn’t been able to stop thinking about kissing her. It wasn’t that he liked her, because he didn’t. Not in that way. No matter how much Eric had made fun of him for making out with Elizabeth, he wouldn't admit to liking her. But the kiss had been so much better than any other he’d had, making him forget about all the other girls. Something about her lips drew him to her, like a moth to a flame.

“I know I’m adorable.” She stuck her tongue out at him, enjoying the flash of mirth that crossed his face.

He straddled her legs, pinning them to the bed. As he sat on them, he watched her eyes widen in fear. Finding out she was ticklish had been one of the best days of his life. He didn't use it against her that often, but always kept that information in the back of his mind for when he needed it. Right now seemed like as good of a time as any.

Sebastian placed his hands over her waist, creeping them toward her. He wanted to give her enough time to anticipate what was coming. She tried to grab his hands but he moved them out of the way. “No, Seb. Please!!” she squealed when his hands came into contact with her stomach.

His fingers danced across her sides, digging in enough that she squirmed and laughed. He didn’t do it for too long though, taking pity on her and falling to the side of the bed while she caught her breath. “ _ Mi-a fost dor de tine _ , Lizzie (I missed you),” he said under his breath.

“I missed you too, Seb.” She bumped her shoulder against his then climbed off the bed to get his present. Grabbing the bag, she bounced back onto the bed, excited to see his face. The gift hadn’t cost much, but the moment she saw it, she knew that she had to get it for him. Holding it out, she waited for him to sit up and take it from her. “Happy birthday.”

“Lizzie,” he mumbled, surprised that she had brought him something. “You didn’t have to get me anything.”

“Nonsense.” She pushed on the bag. “Open it, I want to see if you like it.”

“Why is it so heavy?”

“Just open it,” her voice brokered no arguments.

Opening the bag, he pulled out the tissue paper and then the thick book inside. It looked old, the spine cracked and worn. It even had that old book smell that they got after sitting on a shelf for too long. But when he saw the title, a huge grin crossed his face - The Complete Works of William Shakespeare. Shakespeare wasn’t his favorite playwright, but he was in the top five. His eyes met Elizabeth’s and even more than before, he wanted to kiss her. Instead, he put the book on the bed and hauled her into his arms, hugging her tight.

“ _ Mulţumesc, mulţumesc _ (thank you, thank you). This is the best gift ever!”

She pulled back, a bit red at the praise. “It was nothing. I found it at a used bookstore.”

“It’s perfect.” He held the book up to keep himself from doing something that would make her uncomfortable. Eyes widening, he scrambled off the bed and went into his closet, pulling out the book he had gotten her. Holding it in his hands, he shuffled from side-to-side, unsure if she would like it. Finally, he held it out. “This is for you.”

Elizabeth got off the bed and took the book from him. It was a rather large book, the title only reading Romania. Holding it, she opened the cover and flipped through page after page of pictures of Romania. She closed the book and set it on the bed, keeping her expression neutral. Sebastian seemed anxious, trying to figure out if she liked it or not. It meant more to her than anything else he could have given her. He knew how much she loved photography, and with her learning Romanian, it made her feel closer to him. Like she had an insight into the place he spent his early childhood. She pulled him into a big hug, burying her face into his chest.

Sebastian let out a sigh, holding her close. “So, you like it?”

“Like it?” She pulled back and shook her head. “No, Seb, I don’t like it.” His face fell and she added, “I love it.”

“Sweet!” he exclaimed. Then he looked down at his pajamas, plucking at his shirt. “I should get dressed. Rob and Carl wanted to see if we would hang out with them today. Do you want to come?”

No, she wanted to say but didn’t. Out of all his friends, and there weren’t that many, those two were her least favorite. Rob always looked at her like she was a piece of meat to devour, and Carl ignored her. If he had asked to go over to Eric’s house, she would have been ecstatic. But, it was his birthday too, so she didn’t want to be a spoilsport. “Sure,” she acquiesced. “Let’s go hang out with Rob and Carl.”

She grabbed the book and left the room, shutting the door so he could get dressed. Plastering a smile on her face, she went back downstairs, sitting in the living room to look at the book. She had it open to a picture of the rainbow umbrella alley when Georgeta sat down next to her. “Do you like it?”

Elizabeth nodded and pointed to the picture. “My dad was a photographer. This place, he took my mom and me there when I was a baby. I don’t know why he was in Bucharest, but the picture of me and my mom hangs on the wall in our house.” She traced the umbrellas with a finger. “One day, I want to go to this place, take a picture exactly like that.”

“With a baby?” Georgeta asked, curious about what Elizabeth would say.

Shrugging, she replied, “I’m not sure if I want kids. They’re cute and all, but so messy and noisy. Plus, I want to travel the world, like my dad did before he…” Her voice trailed off. When Georgeta laid a hand on her back, she continued, “Machu Picchu, the Great Wall of China, St. Basil’s Cathedral, Stonehenge, Neuschwanstein... I could go on and on. There are so many places I want to go to and photograph, to share with the world.”

“And children would…”

“Make that more difficult.” She closed the book. “I will most likely have kids, but I’m too young to think about that now. I’m only fourteen. Maybe in a few years, I’ll have a better answer, but I'm not worried about it. Besides, I want to fall in love and get married first.”

Georgeta smiled, thinking about her son and the adorable girl sitting next to her. After their first sleepover, she had printed the picture of them cuddled up together on the couch. It held a place of honor in one of her music books, hidden away for the future. Back then, she would have bet her grand piano that they would be friends forever. Now, she would be willing to bet the use of her hands that they would end up together. Be each other's one true love. They were too young to know what real love was, but she could tell that they liked each other as more than friends. At least, she could tell that Elizabeth did. With her son, she didn’t know if it was hormones or something more. After meeting Angela, she had figured that Elizabeth would grow up beautiful. She was already beautiful, inside and out, even though she was only a child. And if she remained friends with Sebastian, she thought for sure that they would end up married.

Sebastian chose that moment to enter the living room. “ _ Mamă _ , could you drive us to Rob’s house? He wants to hang for a bit before dinner tonight.”

Georgeta looked at Elizabeth who was being careful to avoid her gaze. She looked back at her son, who had a hopeful look on his face. “Of course, _ fiul meu _ (my son). Will it be alright if Anthony picks you up on the way home from Rockland?” Sebastian nodded and she stood. “Let me get my keys.”

\--------------------

Inside the house, Sebastian settled on the couch with Rob and Carl, while Elizabeth sat on the chair. As she followed Sebastian into the house they ignored her, pretending she wasn't there. She almost wished she had known no parents would be home, because then she could have avoided coming over. One of her mother's rules was that she couldn't spend time at people's houses that didn't have a parent to supervise. Especially, if her mother hadn't met them before. She wasn't sure what Georgeta would think, but she could have used the excuse that her mother would get angry.

Rob stood. “You guys want something to drink?”

“Dude, you got anything…” Carl looked over at Elizabeth, but she avoided his gaze. “Anything stronger than soda, if you catch my drift.”

Rob tapped his chin, contemplating what he could get away with giving them. “Well, if I break into my father’s whiskey he’ll notice. But… I think I can score some beer. My brother keeps some hidden in his room, I’ll pay him back later for it.”

“Sweet.”

Running up the stairs, Rob left the room. It didn’t take him long to come back with three cans of beer. He handed one to Sebastian and one to Carl. They both opened the cans and took sips. Elizabeth knew that Sebastian drank on occasion, it didn’t bother her that he did. While she would have said no, she still felt a little miffed that Rob didn’t even bother to bring one for her.

They pulled out the PlayStation, putting in Tomb Raider. When the main character popped up on the screen, breasts the size of watermelons, she sighed. Rob looked over at her and muttered to Sebastian, “Dude, why did you bring her? God, she’s such a buzzkill.”

Sebastian looked over at his friend who was looking anywhere but at him. He didn’t want to hurt her feelings, but he kind of felt that he shouldn’t have brought her over. It wasn't that he didn't want to spend time with her, because he did. But hanging out with the guys gave him a chance to fit in, to pretend to be someone other than himself for a little while. He said under his breath, hoping that she didn’t hear, “Yeah, I know. Sorry. Next time I’ll leave her home.”

What Sebastian didn’t know was that Elizabeth could hear every word he said. Whenever he spoke, it made her feel things inside that she didn’t quite know how to process. But when he said those things, her heart broke. It took every ounce of her self-control to hide the fact that she wanted to cry as she stood up. No one looked at her as she left the room. They were most likely happy that she didn’t stick around, so she wouldn’t cramp their style anymore.

Wandering around the house, she found a room with a computer desk and a wall of bookshelves, chock full of books. Running her fingers along the spines, she picked one at random. Sitting on the huge leather chair in the room, she crossed her legs beneath her and opened the book. At least she could pass the time until Anthony came to pick them up. 

A brief thought had crossed her mind, one that she rejected almost immediately. That she could call Georgeta to come and pick her up. But she didn’t do it, because then Sebastian would have to leave too. It hurt being excluded, but she would never do something that would get him in trouble or take him from his friends. She knew how much he craved belonging, even if it was only superficial.

\--------------------

A head poked through the doorway, startling Elizabeth. She looked up and saw Sebastian standing there, looking sheepish. “Hey, Anthony is here.”

Putting the book back on the shelf, she headed for the exit, trying to keep her face calm. She had spent the better part of the day reading a horrible science fiction novel. It wouldn’t have taken much effort to find something else to read, but then she would have to admit she hurt. Reading the bad book, it gave her something else to find upsetting other than her friend. Before leaving the room, she stopped and looked at Sebastian. “I’m ready whenever you are.”

They left the house after saying goodbye to Rob. Anthony looked at Sebastian in surprise when he took the front seat. Sebastian never sat in the front seat when Elizabeth was in the car. He always sat in the back with her. They would talk and bicker, practice Romanian, or sign language. Instead, Sebastian pouted in the front seat while Elizabeth stared out the window.

The drive was silent, with both of the children behaving out of character. Neither of them were usually particularly boisterous, but they were generally more talkative. After several tense minutes, Anthony pulled into the driveway and everyone got out.

He didn’t look to see where Sebastian and Elizabeth went, instead. going to find his wife. When he found her in the kitchen frosting a cake for the kids, he couldn’t help but smile. Even after a few years of marriage, he found her more beautiful with every passing day. She had a way of making even the most cynical person smile, and he loved her for that.

Walking behind her, he wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed the side of her neck. “Hello, _ draga mea _ (my darling). Have you had a good day?”

“ _ Da _ ,” she turned in his arms. “How were Sebby and Elizabeth when you picked them up?”

Anthony released her and went to the doorway to make sure neither of the kids were close by. Then he went back to her. “I think something happened at Rob’s house.”

“What?!” she exclaimed.

“Sebastian was being quiet and he sat in the front seat.” Their eyes met when he said that. Georgeta knew that meant something must be wrong. He never strayed too far from his friend. “And Elizabeth just stared out the window, not saying a single word on the drive home. If I had to guess, I would say that the boys did something to her while she was there. I don’t think that Sebastian would do anything, but perhaps Rob said something to her? I don’t know.” He placed a kiss on his wife’s forehead. “Maybe you could talk to her.”

Georgeta took a deep breath. “Alright, I will. Her bus doesn’t leave for another hour and a half, so we have time.” She sighed and leaned against Anthony. “What do I do if something’s wrong? I'm not used to dealing with girl problems.”

“Just listen, my love, that’s all. Let her talk to you. It works on the kids at the school, it will work on Elizabeth.” He grabbed the spoon from her hand. “I’ll finish the cake, you go find her.”

Taking off the apron, she set it on the table before heading out to see if she could figure out where they were. She didn’t see anyone in the rooms downstairs until she got to her practice room. Elizabeth sat on the piano bench, staring down at the ivory keys. She pressed one of the keys down, making a melancholy sound.

Sitting down on the bench next to her, she asked, “So, did you have fun at Rob’s today?”

Elizabeth laughed, the sound too bitter for someone who was only fourteen. “Sure. Lots of fun.”

“Oh, sweetie, what’s wrong?” Georgeta couldn’t help but sound concerned about the little girl next to her. She slipped her arm around her shoulders, holding her while Elizabeth tried so hard not to cry. “It’s okay, you can tell me anything. I won’t tell anyone else if you don’t want me to.”

Elizabeth looked up, surprised. A tear rolled down her cheek that she wiped away, hoping that Georgeta wouldn’t notice. “It’s nothing.” Any other time, she would have told her everything. Georgeta was like a second mother to her, treating her like a daughter instead of her son’s friend. When she murmured soft words of encouragement, Elizabeth sagged against her. She mumbled, “Seb said I was a buzzkill and that he should have left me at home.”

As Elizabeth wasn’t looking at her, she didn’t see the anger flash in Georgeta’s eyes. Her voice came out calm, “Anything else, sweetie?”

Shaking her head, Elizabeth sighed. “They played video games, ignoring me. So I went and read until Anthony picked us up.”

“Alright.” Standing, she laid a hand on Elizabeth’s shoulder. “I’m going to finish the cake. Do you still want a piece?”

“Can I take it home?”

“Of course.”

Georgeta left the room, not letting her anger show until she was sure that Elizabeth couldn’t see her. Stalking around the house, she found Sebastian lying on his bed, staring at the ceiling. “Sebastian Stan, I have never been so…” she fumed, unable to complete her sentence. When he looked over at her, she crossed her arms in front of her chest. “That little girl down there is your best friend. She doesn’t care if you have an accent, or speak a foreign language, or if you are smart. All she cares about is you, and you treat her this way.”

She started to pace, arms waving about as she attempted to keep from yelling at her son. “I can’t believe you said she was a buzzkill and…”

“I didn’t say that,” Sebastian tried to defend himself. When his mother’s eyebrows rose, he looked down at the ground, admitting, “I agreed with Rob, but I didn’t say it.”

“That’s just as bad, Sebby.” Georgeta tried to calm her tone down. “She’s upset. She thinks that you didn’t want her around today. Is that true?”

He stared at the ground, shaking his head. She sighed, “Why did you have to say those things? I get that you want to fit in with your friends, but she was your friend first. You could have stood up for her. You could have…”

Sebastian whispered, “I really messed up, didn’t I?”

“Come here,” Georgeta said, holding her arms open for her son. When he let her pull him into her embrace, she rubbed his back, trying to calm him down. “I know you didn’t mean to hurt her, but you did. You need to try and fix this. She loves you, Sebby, you’re her best friend. Don’t lose out on the best thing you have because you wanted to make the guys like you.”

When Sebastian pulled away, he rubbed his eyes, trying to hide the tears. “I need to find Lizzie. Do you know where she is?”

“My piano room.” When he started to leave his bedroom, she grabbed his arm. “I know I don’t say it often enough, but I’m proud of you. You’re a good boy, Sebby.”

Sebastian headed straight for the piano room, where Elizabeth sat on the piano bench. He didn’t know what to say to her, how to apologize, but he knew that he needed to. His mother was right, she was the best thing to happen to him since moving to America, and he couldn't lose her.

Clearing his throat, he waited until her head turned somewhat in his direction. “I’m an asshole.”

“No, you’re not,” she said softly.

“Yes, I am.” He walked over to the piano bench, straddling it so he could face her. Grabbing her hand he held it between his two much larger hands. “I’m sorry about today. I just wanted Rob to like me, so I agreed with him. You are not a buzzkill. In fact, I have more fun with you than I ever do with Rob and Carl. I just…” He lowered his head, ashamed of his actions. “I wish I could be more like you, not caring what people think about me. Instead, I’m an asshole who hurts his friends because I want someone else to like me.”

Elizabeth turned and reached up to cup his cheek with her palm. She lifted his face so he looked into her eyes. “I forgive you.” When he sagged in relief, she added, “But I’m not going back over there. The book selection was atrocious.”

He laughed and she knew that her friend was back. But as easily as the laugh came, it stopped. “God, Lizzie, I really am sorry. You’re my best friend, I never wanted to hurt you like that.”

“I know, Seb.”

“You are the only one who doesn’t care that I don’t sound like everyone else. The only one who I am comfortable being myself around.” He looked down at her lips again, wondering why his thoughts were straying to kissing her. As his best friend, he knew that he loved her, but this incessant desire to lock lips was something he wanted to be rid of. Especially since he knew that there was no way she was thinking of him when they kissed. She didn’t like him that way, and he didn’t either.

Leaning forward, she pulled her hand from his so she could wrap her arms around his waist and hold him tight. She wasn’t angry with him anymore, although she had never really been upset. Even when he had said those things to Rob, she knew he didn’t mean them. But the fact that he had said them at all is what hurt. He meant more to her than almost anyone else in her life, and she wished that she could take away his pain. That she could help him find a way to be happy with himself.

There was only one thing that made it difficult to be friends with Sebastian. Whenever she thought back to the night of the party and her first kiss, she would get this ache in her chest. That night she realized that she liked her best friend. As in, like in a way that wasn’t simple friendship. But she knew that he would never feel the same for her because she was like a sister to him. A younger, much shorter sister.

After a couple of minutes, she pulled away and gave him a huge smile. “You’re my best friend, Seb. I was a little hurt earlier, but I forgive you. Don’t do it again and we’ll call it even, okay?” He nodded and she got off the bench. “Alright, let’s go get some cake.”


	6. Picture Time

1998 

Elizabeth opened the door to the apartment, stepping across the threshold. School had let out early due to a monthly Friday teachers meeting, so she was home much earlier than normal. She could have gone to hang out with her friends, but all she wanted to do was curl up on the couch with a good book.

At fifteen, she was almost as tall as Sebastian, but still had no idea how to manage her massive quantities of hair. In the three years that she had known Sebastian, her hairstyle had not changed. She still wore it in a tight bun at the base of her skull, hiding the fact that it was curly and long enough to hit her hips. However, her clothing had changed drastically, due entirely to Sebastian's influence. Gone were the grandma outfits, replaced with jeans and blouses she could find at the thrift store. They had spent hours combing through rack after rack of clothing, trying to find items in good enough condition to wear to school. Between the two of them, they had managed to find enough items for the entire school year.

There had been a time when she'd felt ashamed to shop at second-hand stores. Agonizing over the fact that her clothes weren’t brand new like everyone else. But Sebastian had managed to convince her that clothes were superfluous. That the only thing that mattered were the people who cared about you, not whether you had the latest designer article of clothing. It hurt her heart that Sebastian lacked the confidence to be himself, even as he inspired her to do the same. She wished he could take his own advice, let all the negativity go. But she knew that sometimes it was easier to help others than yourself.

On the dining room table sat a box with her name on it. Lifting the lid, she saw a piece of paper folded up on top of an expensive-looking camera. Unfurling the note, she had to close her eyes to stop the tears from falling.

_ Ellie-bear, _

_ Your father would want you to have this. The one you already have, that was his ‘fun’ camera, the one he took on short jaunts to Central Park or the Zoo. The one he used daily at his job for the smaller projects. But this one… this one won him awards. Although, it wasn’t the camera that won those awards, but his creativity and ingenuity. I know that you miss him, sweetheart, so do I. I hope this will help make it a little easier, make you feel closer to him. Besides, I know how much you love photography. There is plenty of film in the bag, so go crazy and have fun with it. _

_ I love you to the moon and back, _

_ Mommy _

Picking up the camera, she turned it from side to side. It was much larger than the other camera of her dad’s she already had. That one was a professional camera, but this one… it was the most expensive thing she had ever held in her hands. It would most likely cost her mother at least two months' salary to replace.

Walking to the phone, she dialed her mother at work. “Angela Grey, speaking.”

“Hi, Mom.”

“Hey, Ellie. You’re home early today.”

“Yeah, teacher meeting after school today.” She paused, looking over at the camera on the table. “I found the camera.”

“Good,” Angela stated. “I’d been wanting to give it to you for a while, but your father made me promise to only give it to you once you were old enough.” She laughed, a light, carefree sound. “He never clarified for me when that was, so I had to make a decision. I figured since you’re a sophomore now, you were old enough.”

“Do you think…” she started to ask. What Elizabeth wanted to do was take the camera over to Sebastian’s house and play with it. He was her favorite subject to take pictures of, especially when he smiled. The pure joy he exuded while smiling only made her like him more. Taking a deep breath, she went for it, “Do you think it would be okay if I went over to Seb’s tonight? Take the camera with me? I’d like to try it out, and since we would be hanging out late, I could sleep on the couch over there. If that’s okay?”

Angela thought for a moment. Like Georgeta, she held firm to the belief that her daughter and Sebastian would end up together one day. But nothing had come of that belief yet. She kept waiting for one of them to ask the other out, hoping that one day Elizabeth would come home saying she had a date. But when nothing happened, Angela figured they were still young and didn’t know what they wanted. In fact, in the three years that they had been friends, they had stayed at each other’s places numerous times and never once given their parents any cause to worry about impropriety.

She smiled to herself. “Of course, sweetheart. Call Sebastian and ask first, though. I don’t want to have to come and pick you up tonight because you showed up without letting them know.”

“Thanks.” Elizabeth could barely contain her excitement. “I’ll call right now.”

“I love you, Ellie.”

“Love you too, Mom.”

After she hung up, she dialed Sebastian’s number. “Hello,” Georgeta said.

“Hi, G, is Seb home?” Elizabeth had taken to shortening her name after trying to figure out what to call her. After spending most of her summers over at their house, it only felt natural to give Georgeta a nickname too.

“Yes, he is.” She pulled the phone away from her ear, yelling, “Sebby, Elizabeth is on the phone for you.” She said softer, “He’ll be here in a second.”

Elizabeth could hear the pounding of footsteps as Sebastian ran into the kitchen. He sounded out of breath as he greeted, “What’s up, Lizzie?”

“You wanna host me for the night?”

“Host you for the night?” He sounded confused. “Oh, you want to spend the night. _ Mamă _is nodding her head, so if you want to come over that would be cool.” He paused. “Why tonight?”

“It’s a surprise. But I was thinking that you, me, Ollie, and Eric could hang out at the park near Rockland before it gets too dark.”

“I’ll give them a call.” Sebastian smiled, excited that he would get to spend more time around his best friend. His desire to kiss her never lessened, but once he started dating, the thoughts moved to the back of his mind. Something that he was very grateful for. He didn’t need to be thinking about kissing his best friend every moment of the day. “Do you want to come here first, or meet us there?”

“I’ll meet you there. It's faster that way.” Before she hung up, she added, “Bring a blanket.”

“No problemo, Lizmeister.”

“Sebastian Stan, if you continue to call me that, we are going to have a problem,” she threatened playfully. When he was trying to be funny, he picked stupid nicknames and stuck with them, sometimes for weeks on end. Lizmeister was his most recent attempt.

“No promises,” he sassed before hanging up.

\--------------------

Climbing off the bus, Elizabeth looked across the park, spying three people sitting on a blanket. Even from far away, she could tell that they were talking with their hands, so it must be Sebastian, Olive, and Eric. Hurrying over, she flopped down on the blanket, being careful when setting her camera down next to her.

_ Hey, guys. Are we having fun yet? _ She signed. The three of them - Sebastian, Olive, and Elizabeth - had learned sign language for Eric, which made them all better friends. After the infamous party, Olive and Eric had started dating, having spent a couple of rounds of the game together in the laundry room. She had learned sign language for him, wanting to spend as much time with him as possible. Of course, no one else tried to learn Romanian because Sebastian was still anxious about it.

_ Yes, we are. _ Sebastian peered at her, the pink flush that covered her cheeks making him smile. _ What’s in the bag? _

She opened it up, pulling out the fancy camera. All three of them looked at it in awe. _ So why are we here? _ Olive asked. _ How can we help? _

_ Well, I was hoping you guys would let me take pictures of you? _ Elizabeth looked over at Sebastian, feeling her cheeks heat up. _ Maybe you could be the first subject? _

While Sebastian contemplated, Eric looked over at Olive and grinned. They had long since agreed that their two best friends should hook up, so they weren’t surprised by Elizabeth’s question. After she had come out of the closet, lips red and puffy, they had known exactly what had happened. Olive had liked Sebastian back then, but the look on her new friend's face had changed that, especially after she kissed Eric.

_ Do you think they realize? _ Olive asked while Sebastian and Elizabeth were too engrossed in each other to notice. A cheeky grin dominated her face. _ Even I can tell that they like each other. _

Eric looked at his friends, who were laughing and smiling. _ They definitely don’t realize. At least, they don’t know that their attraction is reciprocated. I wish they would figure it out though. Because it’s getting a little difficult to not hit them over the head and scream ‘you guys like each other.’ _

_ What are you guys talking about? _ Sebastian asked, turning back towards the couple.

_ Nothing _ , Eric replied quickly. _ Weren’t you guys going to take pictures or something? _

Elizabeth stood, picking up the camera. “Come on, Seb.” She walked over to the side and started playing with the buttons and settings.

Sebastian came over and struck a pose, hands on his hips, one knee poking out, a smirk on his face. The camera came up, and Elizabeth took a couple of pictures. On and on it went, with Sebastian striking a funny pose for her to snap a few photos of before moving on to his next stance.

When they joined Olive and Eric back on the blanket, Sebastian started signing to his friend, but Elizabeth gazed at her father’s camera. It made her feel so much closer to him, almost as if she had him back. But at the same time, when she held it, she couldn’t help but think about losing him. It put her in a quandary of what to do. On one hand, she wanted to become a photographer, just like him. But on the other, thinking about it made her sad. After all, her father’s career is what killed him in the end.

Shaking her head, she stopped that train of thought. Remembering how her father had contracted a disease in the country he was photographing was not a good way to spend the day.

A hand touched her shoulder and she looked up. Olive had a big smile spread across her face. _ Come on, cheer up, buttercup. You should be having fun. _

Elizabeth placed the camera in her lap and forced herself to look cheery._ I am. _

_ No, you’re not. _ She frowned at her friend, knowing her better than she knew herself. _ What’s wrong? _

_ I’m thinking about my dad. _ Elizabeth brushed her fingers over the camera. _ This was his. _

Olive tried to think of a way to cheer up her friend. With Eric, all she had to do was get him talking about video games. Sebastian, all you had to do was bring up acting. But with Elizabeth, thinking about photography was upsetting her. Maybe she could try and find a way to make photography fun again. Take her out of this funk she was in.

_ What’s one photo you love that you’ve always wanted to recreate? _ Olive asked, hoping that would take her mind off of her father.

Of course, that backfired when Elizabeth took the question too seriously. _ The one my father took of me in Romania as a baby. _

Olive tried again._ I meant a famous one. Like, something big that everyone has seen. _

Elizabeth took a minute to think about it. Except for her father, she had never thought about emulating other photographers. So the question wasn't something she had a quick answer to. But the longer she thought, the more she realized that there was one photo in particular that she loved. _ Do you know the one with the sailor kissing a nurse in Times Square? _ Olive nodded. _ I’ve always loved that photo. Of course, the kiss itself was nonconsensual, so that’s creepy, but otherwise I love it. _

“We should do it,” Sebastian piped in, signing his words as well. Everyone turned to him and he shrugged nonchalantly, trying to hide the fact that he wanted to kiss his best friend again. “Come on, Lizzie, it will be fun. Ollie or Eric can take the picture, and I’ll dip you like the sailor did to the nurse. I’m your best friend. Who better to do it with?”

Elizabeth gaped at him, trying to figure him out. On one hand, the offer was so sweet. She wasn’t dating anyone, so it’s not like she could call up her boyfriend and have him do it with her. It took time and energy to date, so she avoided it. Plus, having a secret crush on your best friend ruined any chance of meeting a nice guy and feeling something real for him. It wouldn’t be fair to anyone she dated, and it hurt too much to think about.

“Lizzie, what do you say?” Sebastian stood, holding out his hand to her. “It will be fun. Ollie can take the picture, and you’ll get to be in one of your favorite photos.”

She let him pull her up, but looked down at her feet, hesitant to accept the offer. The idea of being in his arms terrified her. What if she couldn’t hide her feelings for him? What if she blurted out the truth? But when she looked into his eyes, all she saw was her best friend. “Alright, let’s do this,” she relented. When Olive stood, she handed her the camera, directing sternly, “Be careful with it.”

“I will.” Olive smiled, excited that Elizabeth had agreed. Any opportunity to thrust those two together, she would take. All she could hope was that it wouldn’t take them too long to realize how they felt about one another. “Now go stand over by the trees, it will give us a better background.”

Elizabeth and Sebastian walked over to a grassy area that had trees and bushes in the background. It was fall and the leaves had started to turn colors, giving them a colorful backdrop of greens, reds, and oranges. Sebastian stood looking down at the girl who had become his best friend. The girl who meant more to him than any other person he had let into his life. He forgot about the girls he had dated and about his friends who stood less than twenty feet away. The only thing on his mind was the beautiful girl in front of him.

He forced a grin on his face, pushing those thoughts to the back of his mind. “So, what do you want me to do?” Spreading his arms, he tried to act like his thoughts weren’t at war with his feelings. “How do you want to do this?”

“Do you know the pose?” she asked, voice serious.

“Sort of.” He thought about what he’d seen in history class. From what he could remember, the man had been holding the woman, dipping her over his arm as he kissed her. “I mean, I’ve seen the picture before.”

Elizabeth took a deep breath. “Well, I don’t want to do the exact pose. That one… it’s creepy when you know the background behind it. He forced her to do it, holding her in place so she couldn’t get away. You can see how uncomfortable she was, and he had to hold her head in place to get her to kiss him. And that’s not cool.”

Sebastian took a step back, frowning. “Maybe we shouldn’t do it then.” He didn't want to make his Lizzie uncomfortable.

“No, I want to give it a better connotation.”

“Nerd,” he teased under his breath.

“Hey, you would know this too if you paid attention in history instead of daydreaming about the play you’re trying out for next week.” Her tone was light, playful. As if she could ever really scold him. “The picture itself has a negative history, but done in the right setting that kind of kiss can be romantic.”

Sebastian’s heart started beating faster. “So, you want me to dip you, then kiss you?”

“Maybe this is a bad idea.” The thought of kissing him again terrified her, made her worry about screwing up their friendship. “I’ll go get the camera from Ollie and…”

Sebastian grabbed her arm and pulled her toward him, holding her against his body with one hand on her lower back as he grinned. “Come on, Lizzie, it’ll be fun. A good memory for you, and you’ll have a fun story to tell your kids one day about the picture you took with your best friend.” Dipping her back a little, he touched the side of her face with his other hand. “What do you say?”

When he pulled her back up, she took several deep breaths to calm her racing nerves. He still held her against him, and it took all her self-control not to pull away from him and run away out of fear. “Let’s do it.” She resolutely placed one hand behind his neck for support, the other on his chest.

Sebastian moved the hand that was on her lower back further up for better support, putting the other one on her hip. Then he dipped her over his arm, staring down into her eyes. Neither of them smiled anymore, only gazed into one another’s eyes. His face lowered toward hers, pausing above her lips. He could feel his heart racing and he hoped that she couldn’t feel it through his shirt. If she did, he knew he wouldn’t be able to explain it. To be honest, he didn’t know how to explain it to himself.

His face lowered the last couple of inches and he pressed his lips against hers. No tongue, nothing that could be misconstrued as something more. No matter how much he wanted to.

Olive watched and her heart ached for her two friends. Their body language gave away how much they cared about each other. But they were being difficult and not accepting that very simple fact. “A real kiss, Sebastian,” she yelled. “Gotta make it good for the camera. It looks like you’re kissing your sister.”

Sebastian pulled back and looked down at Elizabeth. “You good with that?”

“We’ve already kissed once, Seb. We can do it again.” She echoed what he had told her at the party two years before. “That’s what friends are for, right?”

Bending back down, he captured her lips with his, holding her closer to him. He didn’t even care if she could feel his frantic heartbeat, all he wanted was more of her. The kiss deepened, their tongues dancing as they held onto one another. It was like time stood still, making him wonder why they didn’t do this all the time. He got lost in her kiss, forgetting everything but her.

Sebastian pulled her to standing as he continued to kiss her, both his hands on her back holding her against him. When he reached up and cupped her face, he realized what he was doing and stopped, stepping back. Elizabeth stared down at the ground, rubbing her palms against the side of her jeans. Sebastian couldn’t help but think he’d made her uncomfortable, so he tried to smile as he glanced over to Olive. “Did you get it?”

Olive and Eric looked shocked, but she nodded. Yeah, she had gotten the picture alright. Several of them. She only hoped that Elizabeth didn’t get mad at her, because the pictures were… they were the most romantic thing she had ever seen in her life. Olive felt confident that at least one of them would be great. But all the pictures had the same chemistry that Elizabeth and Sebastian exuded without even realizing it.

Standing there, Elizabeth tried to calm herself. The feelings that Sebastian’s kiss had brought to the surface made it hard to breathe. If he had meant the kiss the way it felt to her, she would be the happiest girl in the world, but she knew he didn't. She wanted to beg him to kiss her again, ask him to hold her the way he had been. But she couldn’t do that to him. They were just friends, no matter how much she wanted it to be more.

“Thanks, Seb,” she whispered.

“Anytime, Lizzie.” He brushed back a lock of hair that had fallen over her face, tucking it behind her ear. “After all, that’s what friends are for. Ollie said she got the picture. I want to see how it turned out when you develop the film, okay?”

She nodded and walked away, not wanting to say or do something that could endanger their friendship. When she got to Olive, she took the camera back. “Thanks, Ollie.”

“You guys looked good out there,” her friend replied, keeping her voice low. Eric and Sebastian were off to the side, signing, so she took a risk and asked, “How long?”

“How long, what?”

“How long have you liked him?” Olive didn’t want to push her friend, but she knew that was the only way Elizabeth would ever admit to anything. She had to be poked and prodded into giving up any information.

“I don’t like him,” she insisted.

Olive sighed, “You do. I can tell, so can Eric. For the record, he likes you too.”

Elizabeth laughed, unable to even consider what her friend was saying. “No, he doesn’t.” Holding up a hand, she stopped any argument. “And I don’t like him either. We’re just friends. That’s it. End of story.”

“But…”

“No.” Her tone brooked no arguments. “Just friends. Try to remember that, Ollie.” Her tone turned pleading. “Please, drop it.”


	7. Artistic License

1999

"Ellie!" Elizabeth's mother exclaimed. Her eyes scanned the auditorium foyer, marveling at the display of students' art. Her daughter's photographs were everywhere, composing a large majority of the works. "These pictures..." She shook her head, mouth agape. "How come you've never shown these to me?"

Shrugging, Elizabeth tried to brush off the compliment. "I don't know, they're not that good, Mom."

Beside her, Georgeta tsked, placing a hand on her back. "Give yourself more credit, _dulce fată_ (sweet girl)." Turning to Angela she added, "She and Sebby spent hours combing all over New York trying to find the unique locations for the photos. My favorite is the one on the abandoned rooftop where Sebby is playing the broken-down piano." Her mouth quirked into a grin. "Which reminds me, I want a print of that one for my piano room, _dulce fată_. I'll even pay for it."

"No, _Naşă_ (godmother), I can't let you do that. I'll bring you over a copy of it next time I visit." Elizabeth changed the subject, uncomfortable with so much praise of her art. "Do you know which character Seb is playing? He wouldn't tell me, even after making me watch the movie last night. Even when I guessed he wouldn't tell me if I was wrong or right."

Georgeta shook her head, but Elizabeth didn't catch the words that followed. She was thinking about how she had curled up beside Sebastian on his bed as he sat, back against his headboard. The small television in his room playing Frank Oz's _Little Shop of Horrors_ as they cuddled. It was times like that where she let herself imagine, if only for a moment, that they were more than friends. That the way his arm snaked around her shoulders, meant he liked her like that. His fingers had traced patterns on her arm, making it hard to concentrate on the movie. But she wouldn't have changed it for the world. It allowed her to pretend he was hers.

Last night her mother had allowed her to stay over at his house, despite it being a school night. On numerous occasions, the Fruhaufs told Angela that Elizabeth was welcome anytime. That she could ride to school with Anthony and Sebastian, that it wasn't a bother. But Angela didn't want to take advantage of their hospitality. Instead, saying she wanted her daughter to stick to a more regular schedule, even if it meant paying for the round-trip bus tickets five days a week. But last night she'd made a rare exception, much to Elizabeth's delight. And she hadn't asked why not wanting to question her good fortune.

After the movie, Sebastian had playfully tucked her into his bed - quite literally, as she'd spent several minutes trying to free herself from the 'Lizzie burrito' he'd created - and gone off to sleep on the couch like he always did when she slept over. She'd given up years ago trying to insist he didn't need to give up his bed, saying that she was shorter and actually fit on the couch, unlike him. Each time she had, he'd tapped her on the nose and said his mamă raised him better than that. Not that she minded falling asleep with his scent surrounding her. Those nights, she slept better than she did at home.

Since the kiss at the park last year, the crush on her best friend had grown leaps and bounds. Desperate to retain some sense of normalcy, she tried to ignore the feelings knowing they would only complicate matters. But much like a runaway train, there was no controlling how she felt. Especially after she'd seen the pictures of them together at the park. Olive had managed to use half a roll of film on the shots. Taking a handful as they'd stared at each other, then several more as they'd basically made out. Elizabeth still didn't know why he had kissed her so thoroughly, but she had enjoyed every second of it.

Out of all the photos from that day, her favorite didn't even have them in the pose they'd been trying to recreate. It showed them right after he had pulled her up from the dip. He was still kissing her, hands cupping her face, her fingers gripping his shirt tight. She hadn't shown that one to Sebastian. To be honest, she hadn't shown the majority of the photos to him, only a few that most emulated the original pose. They'd felt too intimate, too raw to share.

"Ellie-bear, are you listening?" Angela peered at her, taking in her faraway expression. If she was willing to hazard a guess, she'd say Elizabeth's mind was on Sebastian. It seemed to be there a lot these days. Not that her daughter had ever confided to her about it, but some things a mother knew.

"Sorry, Mom," she apologized, giving her head a small shake to clear her thoughts. "What were you saying?"

Georgeta smiled softly. "We were asking which picture was your favorite."

"Well..." She grabbed them by the hands and pulled them to a corner of the foyer where she had hidden her personal favorite. She wasn't ashamed of it, but it felt almost too soul-revealing to share. However, it was part of the series for class, so her teacher made her hang it up. When no one was around, she pointed to a photograph that looked a lot like the alleyway in Romania. Not exactly, because she didn't have access to that many umbrellas, but she had attempted to recreate that place to the best of her ability.

She had found an alley that appeared clean, and with the help of Sebastian, Olive, and Eric, blown up several hundred balloons in a rainbow of colors. The worst part was figuring out how to hang them up high enough so someone could stand underneath them. But they'd managed by enlisting the help of the buildings' residents, who had graciously allowed them to use their clotheslines. Even helping them string the balloons up between the lines. Her series of photographs was entitled 'A Day in New York City'. She had been diligent in her search for locations that seemed appropriate for such a project. An alleyway full of balloons might not be an everyday sight in New York City, but when she'd shared her idea with Sebastian and his blue eyes lit up imagining it, she'd known she had to do it.

The picture she'd chosen to display was of Eric holding Olive in his arms. Her head thrown back laughing, arms above her head, legs kicking as he struggled to hold her up. They looked like they hadn't a care in the world, happier than anyone had a right to be. Her original idea was to use the photo she'd taken of Sebastian with his legs spread, hands on his hips, and a gigantic smile on his face. But too many of her photos already featured him, so she'd kept that one hidden away.

"This is my favorite one. I wanted to do my best to recreate Romania since I haven't been there since I was a baby. Not sure I ever will either. But I wouldn't have been able to do it without my friends. They spent so much time helping me set everything up. Without them, I would still be blowing up balloons." Elizabeth took one last look at the picture, then turned back to her mom and Georgeta. "We should go find our seats before the play starts without us. I have to take pictures for yearbook though, so I'll be moving back and forth at the edge of the stage."

After getting them seated, Elizabeth took her father's camera and went to her assigned spot, waiting for the play to begin. She was the only one there from yearbook to take pictures, so she knew they needed to be good.

When she'd found out the play Sebastian was in was a musical, she had been so excited. One of her favorite pastimes was listening to him sing while his mother played the piano. He didn't do it often, thinking he didn't have a good enough voice, but when he sang, she smiled. His face always lit up with joy while singing, but his anxiety got the better of him when he was around people other than his family and her.

The music began, and she felt her excitement grow. Now she understood why _Little Shop of Horrors_ had become a cult classic. Not only was the story hilarious, but the music would be stuck in her head for days. She started taking pictures, wondering when Sebastian was going to appear. And then she saw him, wearing the dorkiest pair of glasses she had ever seen, and she had to hold in her laughter at the sight. He'd been cast as Seymour. He'd had big parts before, but they were always supporting roles. This was his first true lead role, one where he would have to talk almost the entire play. She was so proud of him.

Two hours flew by, Elizabeth going through several rolls of film taking pictures of the cast and the play. If she took a few too many pictures of Sebastian, no one needed to know. It was her guilty pleasure; taking pictures of her best friend, putting them into a scrapbook to maybe share with him one day. Of course, the likelihood that she would ever actually share it with him was slim to none. Mainly because she didn't want him to think she was a creepy stalker.

After the play was over, she stood out in the foyer with her mother and Georgeta, waiting for Sebastian to join them. When he did, he came bounding out the backstage door, rushing up to them and pulled her into his arms, spinning around in a circle as she laughed.

"What did you think, Lizzie? I know I made you watch the movie, but did you like the play better?" He asked the question with such sincerity, excitement evident in his tone.

"You were the best part, Seb." She smacked him lightly on the shoulder as he set her down. "But why didn't you tell me that you were playing Seymour? You usually have me help you learn your lines. I thought you were mad at me or something."

Seeing her crestfallen expression brought a crease to Sebastian's brow. It was true that for all his previous plays, she had run lines with him, helping him to figure out his character. But for this one, he had wanted to keep the fact that he was the main character a secret from her. Wanted her first reaction to the play to be opening night. He hadn't meant to hurt her. "I'm sorry, Lizzie. I just wanted to surprise you," he apologized, running a hand down her arm and lacing his fingers with hers. "Please don't be sad, I won't do it again." The small smile she beamed up at him made his heart skip a beat.

Behind them, their mothers exchanged a knowing look. "Are you staying over again tonight?" Angela asked her daughter, snapping them from their trance.

"Yes, yes she is," Sebastian answered, dropping her hand.

Elizabeth smacked him in the arm again, harder this time. "You should learn to ask people things before you tell them what they're doing. Women don’t like being told what they’re doing. They prefer to be asked."

Sebastian stuck out his lower lip, turning on the puppy dog charm he knew always worked on her. "Are you saying you don't want to spend the night again? I thought we could watch _Rocky Horror Picture Show_ since that's also a cult classic and a musical. The school's not going to do that one, you'll realize why once you've seen it, but I thought it would be fun. We can stop and get ice cream first on the way home." He made his voice all syrupy for the suggestion, hoping to bribe her into accepting.

Rolling her eyes at his obvious attempt to guilt trip and then sweet-talk her, Elizabeth turned a questioning gaze on her mother.

"As long as it's okay with Georgeta, it's okay with me," Angela acquiesced. When Georgeta nodded, she hugged her daughter, whispering into her ear, "Be good. And tell him."

"I don't know what you're talking about," she stated firmly, pulling away, her face flushed. "All right, Seb, let's go."

Georgeta shook her car keys at Sebastian. "_Fiul meu_, take my car. Your dad will take me home after he's done locking up for the night." She gave him a hug after he took them. "Have fun and be safe. I'll see you both when you get home."

The ice cream shop was too quiet for a normal Saturday night, but it was cold out, so it was likely that people were eating less ice cream. After getting their favorite flavors - chocolate for Sebastian, vanilla fudge swirl for Elizabeth - they sat down at a table in the back corner.

"So, what did you think? Be honest." Sebastian took a big bite of his ice cream, preparing himself for a critical response. Even though he had worked hard for this play, singing was not his forte.

She reached across the table, taking his hand and giving it a reassuring squeeze before returning to her ice cream. "Seb, that was the best job you've ever done. I mean, when you were Mercutio in _Romeo and Juliet_, you did a fantastic job. You always do a phenomenal job. But tonight, I can actually see you becoming an actor, being famous."

"Do you really think so?" His voice was full of hope and longing.

"I do." Looking down at her ice cream, she swirled it with the spoon, appetite gone. She knew if he became famous, their relationship would change. He'd be busy traveling the world for work, and they wouldn't get to see each other as often. "You're an amazing actor, Sebastian Stan. One of these days, you're going to have so many fans, you're not going to know what to do with them. Just..." she tapped the edge of her dish nervously, "...when you become rich and famous, don't forget me."

"Hey now." He tried to make his voice cheerful to bring back the smile that had disappeared from her face. "I'm not going to be the only one who's rich and famous. Don't forget that you're going to become a world-famous photographer. Even bigger than your father ever was. I'm going to have to fight through your fans to get a moment with you."

"Have you ever thought about the future, Seb? What you really want out of it?"

He shrugged. "Kind of, but not really. I just want to act, making enough money that I can afford to eat. Would it be cool to be famous like Tom Cruise or George Clooney? Yeah, maybe. But that's not something I care about. I'm not even sure I would like having people clamoring after me. The thought of losing my privacy..." He shuddered. "But I know that comes with the territory."

She pushed her ice cream aside, grabbing his hand and holding it between hers. His anxiety made things difficult for him, especially when it came to getting too much attention or praise. It was one of the few things that she was trying to help him with that never seemed to actually get better. "One day, people are going to love you," she vowed. "People already love you, but the world is going to see that you are an excellent actor. The world is going to see you for the wonderful man you are and you'll be fighting off women with a stick."

He chuckled. "A stick? Really, Lizzie?"

"Come on, you have to know that you look good. I mean... those blue eyes, wavy brown hair, the smile that lights up a room whenever it appears..." She stopped herself, afraid to give away too much of her own feelings. "Seb, people are going to love you. Especially women."

"I don't know about that. I'm not…"

"Yes, you are, don't argue with me. You know I’m almost always right," she teased. One of the things she had learned being his friend for over four years was he didn't think much of himself. It was hard to overcome such negative thinking, but that didn't stop her from trying to make Sebastian realize his worth. "One of these days, when we're both adults and you're happily married to some gorgeous actress who makes more money than you, I'm going to expect you to tell me that I was right. I'm going to expect you to admit defeat because I knew people would be falling head over heels for the immensely attractive Sebastian Stan."

"If it ever comes to that, I will admit that you were right, publicly if necessary," he conceded with a grin, gently extracting his hand from hers so he could take another bite of his ice cream. "Come on, finish up so we can go home and watch the movie."


	8. Homecoming

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> For the future... here are translations of things I will be using often. The English translations for these will no longer be posted in the story. If I come across any more I don't want to continuously translate, I will add those in later chapters.  
iubita -- sweetheart  
te iubesc -- I love you  
Îmi pare rău -- I'm sorry  
Mulţumesc -- thank you

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So for people that actually know the Time Hotel in NYC, I realize that there isn't a room big enough to house a couple of hundred teens and a dance floor with a DJ. The Glass Pavilion (in real life) can only hold about 50 people milling about. I'm making it larger, so it can upwards of 500, and adding a patio. So for anyone that doesn't like the fact that I'm making up stuff about the hotel, sorry. Authors prerogative to change things to make it easier to tell the story. Plus, I'm trying to stick to a factual occurrence in Seb's life.

2000 

Climbing out of her mother’s car, Elizabeth hefted her duffel bag over her shoulder, turning to lean down into the open door. “Thanks, Mom, for letting me…” She waved her hand at the hotel. It hadn’t taken much discussion for her mother to agree to let her stay after the homecoming dance. Staying in a room with Sebastian, that had taken more effort.

“Ellie, please be safe.” Angela picked up a small makeup bag, handing it to her daughter. The thought of her little girl staying alone in a hotel room with a boy was a touch out of her comfort zone. It was only because it was Sebastian - and the fact that she trusted both of them to behave - that she had reluctantly agreed. But still, she had planned for anything, putting together an emergency kit of sorts, just in case. Elizabeth had been mooning after the boy for years, so if Angela could help protect them even a little bit, she was going to do it. “If you decide you want to come home, remember to…”

“Call you. Yes, I know.” Elizabeth let out a huff of air. “I’ll see you tomorrow morning.”

“I’ll be here at ten to pick you up. I love you, Ellie-bear.”

“Love you too, Mom.”

Turning away, Elizabeth headed into the hotel. There was an hour left before the dance started, plenty of time to get ready. All she had to do was fix her hair, get dressed, and put on some minimal makeup, nothing that required a lot of time. Sebastian should already be there, having insisted on paying for the room. If they had shown up at the same time, there would have been a fight for who paid. Her mother had given her cash to reimburse him for her half, but she knew he wouldn't take it. He was too stubborn, always insisting on paying for everything.

She walked up to the front counter, giving a sweet smile to the lady behind the desk. “Hi, my friend should already be here in our room, can you…”

“Is your name on the room as well?” the woman interrupted.

“It should be.” Elizabeth wasn’t sure at all. They hadn’t spent much time discussing their plans for the night. “His name is Sebastian Stan, mine is Elizabeth Gray.”

The attendant concentrated on her computer, long nails clicking on the keyboard as she searched for the reservation. While she did, Elizabeth glanced around the hotel, impressed with the fancy decor. Everything had a clean and modern feel to it. A few pieces of minimalist furniture lined the walls, looking too uncomfortable to sit on. The black metallic light fixtures could have doubled as art. If it weren't for the fact that they lit up the room, she would have assumed they were pieces from a gallery. Even the few photographs on the walls were in black and white, depicting different parts of New York City. One day, Elizabeth hoped that her art would be gracing the walls of hotels like this.

“Yes, here it is. Sebastian Stan. You are down as an occupant of the room. One moment and I’ll get you a key made up.” Her nails clicked some more, then she held out a silver keycard. “You're in room 3123. Thank you for choosing the Time Hotel, I hope you have a great stay.”

Elizabeth wandered over to the elevator. As she gripped her bag tight, knuckles turning white, she tried not to be nervous about seeing Sebastian. When the doors dinged open, she got on, pressing the button for the third floor. Not that he made her apprehensive, it was just the thought of spending the entire night sleeping on the bed next to his. Of being so close, but unable to touch him in the way she longed to. Whenever they'd had sleepovers before, she was always in his bed while he slept on the couch. Or, if they were at her house, she was in her bed, him on the couch again. No matter how many times she argued that she would fit better than he did on the sofa, he wouldn’t hear of it. Georgeta had instilled a sense of chivalry into him at a young age that had stayed strong as he grew older.

Slipping the card into the door and hearing a faint click, she pushed it open a crack, calling out, “Hey, Seb, I’m here. You decent?”

The door was pulled open all the way and Sebastian grinned at her. He only had on his slacks and a tank undershirt, his belt still open. Grabbing the bag out of her hand, he took it into the room, setting it onto the bed. Lizzie tossed the bag her mother gave her onto the bed as well. Going back toward the door, he pulled her into a big bear hug. “Are you excited? I am. God, it’s going to be so much fun. And we don’t have to go home tonight, so we can stay up late and not worry about our parents getting mad.”

Elizabeth laughed, extricating herself from his grasp to go over to her duffel bag. Before taking out her dress, she picked up the smaller bag her mother had given her, curious about its contents. Unzipping it, she looked at him as she said, “Your parents wouldn’t get mad anyway. You have a lot more leeway than I do. My mom…” Her words choked off when she glanced inside the bag.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, concerned. Stepping up behind her, he looked into the bag and started to laugh. “Condoms? Why did your mother give you condoms?”

Fuck, why did her mother give her condoms? She didn’t have a date; no one had asked, and she refused to let anyone set her up no matter how much they bugged her about it. They were going as a big group of friends - Olive and Eric, then Sebastian and his girlfriend, Amber. It sucked being the fifth wheel, but at least they were her friends. A few others were joining them, most of them friends of Amber, but she didn’t care about them. The only reason she could fathom as to why her mother would give her condoms was due to her rooming with Sebastian. But they weren’t dating, so it didn't make sense. And yeah, Elizabeth liked him, but she had never mentioned her feelings to her mother.

“I don’t know.” Closing the bag, she tossed it down on the bed. “Most likely my mom’s twisted way of telling me to be safe. I have no use for them.” Turning her back to him and opening her duffel, she pulled out the dress and makeup. “I’m gonna get ready. Are you meeting Amber there, or…”

“She got a room too. I’m going to leave in about fifteen minutes to pick her up.” Sebastian saw Elizabeth flinch, hands tightening on her dress. His two best girls didn't get along, and he couldn't comprehend why. But he wasn't willing to ditch his friend for a girl, and he had told Amber as much, which he thought made it a little bit better. Coming up behind her, he gently tapped the side of her temple with one finger. “Hey. What’s going on up here? You seem a little out of it.”

Elizabeth sighed, not wanting or knowing how to explain her feelings. She couldn't exactly come right out and say that she wished she was Amber. That all she wanted was to be his date to the dance, the one he would hold close and kiss. Dammit, she wished this crush would dissipate, fade into nothingness. All it had done was bring her pain and misery.

“I’m fine, Seb.” As she turned back to him, she plastered a smile on her face, attempting to convince them both she would be alright. “I’ll use the bathroom to get ready. Knock when you leave.”

As she walked away, he murmured, “Lizzie…”

But she went into the bathroom, pretending not to hear. She dropped her stuff on the counter, hands resting against it as she looked into the mirror. Now she could see why Sebastian sounded so worried. Pervasive sadness marked every inch of her face, making her normal joyful eyes seem dull.

After a few minutes, there was a knock at the door. “Lizzie, I’m going to get Amber. I’ll see you at the dance?”

“Yeah.” She tried to add perkiness back into her voice. “I’ll see you in a bit.” After hearing the hotel room door close, she looked away from the mirror, frustrated with the anguish reflecting back at her. Peering down at her hands, she sighed. “Come on, Lizzie, deep breaths. You can do this. Seb doesn’t know how you feel, and he doesn’t feel the same. He’s got a girlfriend, they’re going to the dance together. You need to get over this stupid fucking crush. Grow up.” Her eyes moved back to the reflection and she steeled her gaze as she continued her self pep talk. “Get dressed, go up to the Pavilion, plaster a smile on your face. Fake it 'til you make it. Everything will be fine. Remember, it's only one night. You can do anything for one night.”

She shook out her black dress, stepping into it. Her mother had found it at a thrift store, picking it up for next to nothing. It had thin straps and was a silky number that clung to her body like a second skin. Tight enough that, without the slit up the side that went halfway up her thigh, she wouldn’t have been able to walk. The low cut back made it impossible to wear a bra, but her mother had picked up some nipple tape so she wouldn't embarrass herself.

For makeup, she put on some mascara and a little lip gloss. Her hair got taken out of its standard bun, twisted up into a tight chignon instead. At least she could control that much. As it neared the time for her to go to the dance, her eyes looked less haunted, the lines that had marred her forehead smoothed out. If someone looked close enough, they would still be able to see the echoes of the pain, but only those who knew her well would see it.

\--------------------

The Glass Pavilion was prettier than Elizabeth had expected. A large room with glass walls and roof, it showed off the lights of New York City spectacularly. They had only sold 250 tickets to the dance on a first come first serve basis, due to the size limitations of the space. As soon as the tickets had gone on sale, Sebastian went during his free period to buy them, picking up one for each of them. Best idea he'd had in a while because the tickets had sold out by the end of the day. The homecoming dance was always the most popular, especially when it was somewhere out of the ordinary. 

The first thing she did was go out onto the balcony, avoiding trying to find her friends for the moment. The air felt cold, making Elizabeth grateful for the nipple tape. But she didn’t try to warm herself up, needing the chill to take her mind off Sebastian. Going over to the railing and leaning against it, she closed her eyes to the harsh neon lights below. The din of the crowd inside got louder as the patio door opened, but she didn't look to see who it was. Breathing in and out with deliberate attention to the sound, she tried to calm herself down. She needed to build up her composure before going to see him.

A hand skimmed the surface of her back. She'd have jumped if she hadn't known whose touch it was. “Lizzie, you’ll catch your death out here.”

She turned to look at Sebastian. “Seb, I’m fine. I just wanted to look out at the city.”

“With your eyes closed?” he countered, voice teasing. His face morphed into one of concern. “Are you okay? You seemed a little... off earlier.”

“Seb, I’m fine. I promise.” Elizabeth laid a hand on his arm, giving him a genuine smile. Then she saw his tie. “What is up with the skinny black tie?" she asked, reaching up and tightening the loose knot, straightening it as she did. "I mean, not that it doesn’t work well with the blue shirt, I just thought you were going to wear the blue and silver one I gave you for your birthday?”

He sighed and shrugged. “Amber insisted I wear this one. Said the other one clashed with her dress.”

“Clashed with her dress? Seriously?” Elizabeth’s eyes narrowed, hands clenched into fists. “How in the hell could a tie clash with her dress?” She had a feeling Amber knew exactly who had given him that tie and that the knowledge had more to do with the sudden wardrobe change than it ‘clashing’ with her dress.

Sebastian didn’t know what to say. “Look, she asked me to wear this one, it’s not a big deal. It’s just a tie.”

“You’re right.” Taking a deep breath, she forced her hands to relax. Showing Sebastian her frustration with his girlfriend wouldn't get her anywhere. Reaching up, she patted his cheek, smiling again. “You better save me a dance, kid. I expect that much from my best friend.”

Laying an arm over her shoulder, he steered her inside where it was warmer. “I’ve already told Amber that my best girl gets a dance, so don’t even worry about her not wanting to share.” That earned him a ‘what the fuck’ look from Elizabeth and he had to laugh. “She likes to have my attention, that’s all. It’s fine. Trust me, my mother has already gotten on my case about Amber taking too much of my free time.”

“I wasn’t going to say anything,” she protested, forcing herself to bite back the words that had been on the edge of her tongue. She knew Amber didn’t like her. Every time they were together, she worked to keep the attention on her. Not that she did it overtly, but Elizabeth could still see it, even if she didn't point it out to Sebastian. He liked Amber, so she was trying to get along with her for the sake of her best friend. “Go find your girlfriend, I’ll be with Ollie and Eric.”

Inside, she found the couple over by the punch table, hands moving rapidly. _ Hey guys, what’s going on? _

_ You’re here! _ Olive pulled her into a tight hug before releasing her, looking her up and down. _ Holy smokes, girl. Has Sebastian seen you in that dress? It’s hot. _

_ Yes _ . Elizabeth managed to hide a frown, realizing that he hadn’t said anything about her dress. But then again, the only thing she had said to him was to criticize his tie. _ Come on, let’s go dance. _

They spent the next hour dancing away to various songs. When a slow dance would come on, Elizabeth chose to get a drink instead of being the third wheel, though Eric did dance with her a couple of times, always keeping a respectful distance. At least the room was big enough that she didn’t have to watch as Amber and Sebastian held each other close. 

After a while, Elizabeth wandered back out onto the balcony. The crowd inside was overwhelming, the heat of too many bodies pressing in on her. She needed to get away from everyone, be by herself for a few minutes. Sitting on one of the benches, she pulled her arms against her chest, head resting on her knees. The dichotomy of the music and the sound of traffic emanating from below soothed her nerves. It gave her something else to think about than the unrequited feelings she couldn't shake.

Fifteen minutes passed while the cold seeped into her bones. The sound of the music got louder for a moment before someone laid a jacket over her shoulders. She turned her head slightly, watching Sebastian take a seat in the chair next to her. He didn’t lecture about the cold, even though she knew he wanted to. “They’re playing Everybody Dance Now, I was hoping you might... wanna dance now.” He chuckled at his own inane joke.

Lowering her legs, she smiled, pulling his jacket tighter around her shoulders. It smelled like the cologne he wore, _ Yves Saint Laurent L’Homme _, a woody fragrance with hints of citrus. It was a bit expensive, but his parents gave it as a Christmas gift the previous year, and he only wore it for special occasions. Whenever she went to the mall, she always picked it up to smell, closing her eyes and thinking of him.

As she stood, she handed the jacket back to her friend. “Well, let’s go then. I’d like to get my one dance in.” She grabbed his hand as he shrugged the garment back on, pulling him through the door, back into the throng of people. They caught the tail end of the song before the next one came on, a slow song from a movie they had gone to see together the previous year, _ Armageddon _. 

_ I could stay awake just to hear you breathing. _ _  
_ _ Watch you smile while you are sleeping, _ _  
_ _ While you're far away and dreaming. _

Elizabeth looked down at her feet, shuffling them from side to side. “You should go dance with Amber. I’m sure she would...”

Sebastian put his hand under her chin, tilting her face up. “I want to dance with you, Lizzie," he insisted gently. "But if you’d rather not, I’ll give you my jacket and you can go back outside. Commune with nature, or whatever it was you were doing.”

His teasing smile was what made her decision. She took a step closer; if this was the only chance she’d have to hold him close, she wasn’t about to let it pass her by. “Dance with me, Seb.”

He put his hands on her waist, drawing her against him. When her arms went around his neck and she glanced up at him with those soft hazel eyes, he had to stifle a groan. Remember Amber. God, don’t think about the way Lizzie looks in her dress. But still, he whispered in her ear, “_ Arăți minunat în seara asta. Îmi pare rău că nu ți-am spus mai devreme. _ (You look beautiful tonight. Sorry I didn’t tell you sooner.)”

She pulled herself closer, resting her head against his shoulder, unable to hold his gaze any longer. If she did, he'd be able to see exactly how she felt. “_ Mulţumesc. Și tu arăți destul de chipeș. Albastrul chiar îți scoate ochii. _ (Thanks. You look pretty handsome yourself. The blue really brings out your eyes.)”

_ 'Cause even when I dream of you, _ _  
_ _ The sweetest dream will never do, _ _  
_ _ I'd still miss you, babe, _ _  
_ _ And I don't want to miss a thing. _

This song. It reminded her of everything she liked about him. The way he smiled when he was happy, eyes crinkling at the corners. The way his hands moved fluidly while talking with Eric, or even the way he sang along with the radio, not caring if he was in tune or not. He wasn’t perfect, but she couldn’t see one thing wrong with him, other than the fact that he wasn’t hers. But just for this moment, she could pretend everything was different. That he was her boyfriend, not only her friend.

For a second, Sebastian let himself dream. Thought of what it would be like to be with the girl in his arms. She had made him believe in himself, telling him over and over again that he was worth more than he could imagine. She spoke fluent Romanian, something no one else had ever thought to learn for him, and she encouraged him in his dream of becoming an actor. His parents did too, but it meant more coming from his best friend. The girl who had been with him through thick and thin for over five years. But it wasn’t meant to be. He was with Amber, and anyway, Elizabeth didn’t feel the same way about him.

_ And I don't want to miss one smile, _ _  
_ _ I don't want to miss one kiss. _ _  
_ _ Well, I just want to be with you, right here with you, _ _  
_ _ Just like this. _

_ I just want to hold you close, _ _  
_ _ Feel your heart so close to mine. _ _  
_ _ And just stay here in this moment _ _  
_ _ For all of the rest of time. _

Lifting her head, she looked into his eyes, getting lost in them. If only this were more. She would give anything to have him be hers, except cause him pain. Amber had been his girlfriend long enough that she knew it was more than a crush. They even finished each other's sentences. They were the couple that everyone hated because they seemed so happy together.

But, she could pretend. Imagine that the hands on her hips were there pulling her close for a reason other than a song. That the lips that she dreamed about would meet hers, kissing her as they had before. As much as she loved the memory of those kisses, she wished they had never happened. All they did was bring forth feelings that weren't reciprocated.

_ Don't want to close my eyes. _  
_ I don't want to fall asleep, yeah. _ _  
_I don't want to miss a thing.

The song finished, but Sebastian kept his hands on her waist, not wanting to let go. He knew he needed to tell her his plans for the evening, no matter how nervous it made him. “Hey, I’m going to be coming back to the room a little late tonight. Amber wants to…” He gulped, not sure how to explain. “We’re going to hang out for a little while after the dance. I just don’t want you to worry.”

Pulling out of his grasp, Elizabeth gave him a big smile, trying to make it meet her eyes. She had known they would probably do something after the dance, this was New York City after all. The city that never sleeps. “Just be quiet when you come back in. You know I like to fall asleep before midnight.”

“I promise.” He pulled her into a quick hug before grinning. “I’ll see you later tonight.”

Elizabeth watched him walk away, trying to keep her expression even. That dance had done a number on her. Not only had he held her closer than she had anticipated, but the scent of him made her weak in the knees. She could still smell him on her skin after he was gone and she had to work to keep a frown from appearing. Walking over to her friends, she forced yet another smile onto her face. _ I’m going to bed, guys. It’s been a long night. _

_ It’s only ten. _ Eric frowned at her. _ Are you okay? _

_ I’m fine, promise. _ She seemed to be lying a lot tonight. First to Sebastian, then to herself, and now to two of her best friends. _ I wasn’t expecting dancing to wear me out like this. Plus, I’ve got a fancy bed here, I want to get a good night's sleep in it. _

_ Lizzie _ … Olive looked reticent to press her friend, but still, she tried again. _ Come on, what’s going through your mind? _ She glanced around, catching sight of Sebastian dancing with Amber. The way he gazed at his girlfriend made her realize why her friend was leaving. _ You know what, it’s fine. If you need us, you know what room we’re in. Sleep well. _

\--------------------

The door to the room opened with a creak that woke Elizabeth up. Rolling over she looked at the clock and mentally cursed Sebastian; it was four in the morning. FOUR in the fucking morning. But she closed her eyes, not wanting him to know that he was being loud enough to wake the dead. Stumbling around the room, bumping into things while he giggled.

The sound of clothes hitting the floor had her tightening her eyes more. As much as she wanted to see him without his clothes on, she wouldn’t be able to handle that. It was one thing to be five feet away in different beds, another entirely to see a body that she wasn’t allowed to touch. When her bed dipped and the distinctive smell of McDonald’s french fries assaulted her nose, she opened her eyes to a paper bag.

Pushing herself up, she turned on the light, squinting as her eyes adjusted. Thank God he was still mostly dressed, wearing his slacks and his tank undershirt. She wasn't sure what she would have done if he was wearing less. “What the hell, Seb?”

“Brought you some Mickey-D’s.” Sebastian opened the bag, digging inside for the fries he knew she loved. Taking them out, he handed them to her. “Here you go.”

She stared at them. “It’s four a.m.” Moving her gaze to his, she took in his pink cheeks and the way he wouldn’t meet her eyes. “Did you and Amber have fun after the dance?”

“Umm… I… uh… yeah...” he stammered, face flushing even more. “We just… uh…”

“Did you and Amber…?” She hesitated to say the word, not wanting to make it real. When the blush moved down his neck and she saw a reddish bruise on the side, Elizabeth had to hide her resentment. So, she played like one of the guys, punching his shoulder lightly. “Good for you. You used protection, right?”

He didn’t speak, only nodded. Thank God, she wouldn’t have to deal with Amber getting pregnant. “Good. But I don’t know why you’re so flustered about it. I mean you guys have been…” When he glanced away, her mouth fell open. “You haven’t? But I thought… Nevermind, I don’t need to know.”

He mumbled something, soft enough that she couldn’t discern what he said. She placed a finger on his cheek, turning his face back to hers. “Seb, you can tell me anything. I won’t judge you. You know that.”

“...my first time…”

She didn’t catch it all, but she managed to catch that much. How was she supposed to react to this knowledge? Should she pat him on the back and say way to go? Or, should she pretend she hadn’t heard? To be honest, she had been sure that he and Amber were having sex since they started dating. Finding out Sebastian had been a virgin up until that point was shocking. But knowing that they had slept together was different than just assuming. 

She decided to pretend that her heart wasn’t breaking. That she hadn’t been wishing for him to want her the way he did his girlfriend. Touching his forearm, she said softly, “I’m happy for you, Seb.” He looked up at her, eyes wide, mouth hanging open. “Really, I am. Just don’t give me the gory details, please. I don’t need to hear about your...”

Not letting her finish, Sebastian pulled her into a tight hug, face pressed against her neck. The embrace lasted way longer than it should have. Long enough that Elizabeth could smell the scent of Amber and sweat beneath the lingering stench of McDonald's. She pushed him away playfully. “Go take a shower, you stink. Besides, we only have the room till ten, so you need to get some sleep before our parents come to pick us up.”

“_ Te iubesc _, Lizzie.”

“Yeah, I know, Seb. _ Te iubesc _.” When he retreated into the bathroom, she laid back on the bed, arm flung over her eyes. If only he meant those words as more than a friend. God, what she wouldn’t give for that. But there was no way in hell she would ever get in the way of her friend's happiness. He deserved so much. It had taken her years to get him to be confident in himself, to realize that he was a fucking awesome human being who didn’t need to change for anyone else. She just wished… No, she wasn’t going down that path again. Pulling the blanket up over her head, she turned away from the bathroom and closed her eyes. Hopefully, she would be asleep before he got in bed.


	9. Graduation

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Translations  
şi eu te iubesc -- I love you too  
te iubesc -- I love you

2001 

It was the day of graduation and Elizabeth was more nervous than she had been in a long time. The only person who knew she was valedictorian was her mother. There had been one brief moment where she had considered telling her best friend, but her speech involved him and she wanted it to be a surprise. As much as he hated surprises, hopefully, this would be a good one.

Sitting on the front steps of the auditorium in her cap and gown, she fingered the small bag in her hands. It contained a present for Sebastian, one she hoped he would like. She saw him approaching from the parking lot, looking exceptionally handsome in a pair of slacks and a blue button-down that made his eyes stand out more than usual, graduation gown on but unzipped, cap in hand. She jumped up and ran to him, tugging him into a tight embrace. His arms went around her, hugging her back.

After a few long moments, she pulled away and smiled. “Hey, Seb.”

“Hey, Lizzie.” His lips curled into a half-smile and her heart flip-flopped in her chest.

Sometime during the last year, he had morphed from a geeky kid into a seriously attractive young man. And once his confidence matched his exterior, making her brain form a coherent thought was next to impossible. Over the years, her crush had morphed from simple and uncomplicated, into something that ripped her heart in two every time she saw him. But she had learned to hide it, not wanting to lose his friendship. Six years was too long of a time to throw away for a brief moment of pleasure.

Holding out the bag, she simply said, “Here.”

Sebastian took it from her. “What’s this?”

“Your graduation present.”

He opened the small velvet bag and pulled out a long silver chain that had a medallion attached. Bringing the pendant up closer to his face, he saw that it was a St. Christopher medal.

Elizabeth added, “I had it blessed by your priest.”

When his eyes met hers, Sebastian struggled with the desire to pull her into his arms and kiss the hell out of her. That feeling had gone away in the past year, mostly because of the girl he was dating, but seeing her gift had it come back with a vengeance. He stared down at the medal in his hands, swallowing past the desire trying to rise up from his gut. “But you don’t believe in this stuff.”

She shrugged. “But you do.” Taking the chain out of his hand, she slipped it over his head and patted the spot on his chest where the pendant rested against his tie.

He slid what he had gotten for her out of his pocket, trying not to laugh. “So, I guess great minds really do think alike.” Holding up a more delicate chain with a St. Christopher medal attached, he said, “I mean, I know you don’t believe, but _ Mamă _suggested it not knowing that. It’s been blessed by the priest, and I thought if nothing else, it would give you something to remind you of me when you’re away in Boston and I’m at Rutgers.”

Elizabeth put on the necklace, fingering the medallion. She might not be religious, but the thought behind the gift meant so much more to her than the symbolism. “Thanks, Seb. I love it.” Grabbing his hand, she pulled him toward the school. “Now, come on, we need to get in there before they send out a search party.”

\--------------------

“Everyone, I would like you to give a big round of applause for your class valedictorian, Elizabeth Gray.”

The crowd started clapping and cheering as she walked onstage. Sebastian sat with his mouth agape. He knew that his friend was incredibly smart and driven, but he hadn’t realized that she was that smart. God, she looked so beautiful walking across the stage, her face beaming with pride as she walked up to the microphone that had been set at the edge of the platform. He assumed it was because she knew sign language, so she would be her own interpreter instead of that one teacher that signed.

Taking a deep breath, Elizabeth tried to calm her racing heart. Lifting her hands, she signed as she spoke, “Class of 2001, I am honored to be standing here before you today as your valedictorian. I know that most of you probably don’t know who I am, but that’s okay, I’ve kept a pretty low profile since I started here in third grade. Now, I had a speech all prepared for this, but I really don’t want to give it. It talks about how we can go out and conquer the world, take whatever lemons life hands us and turn it into lemonade.” She turned to look at the headmaster and grinned, “Sorry, Mr. Fruhauf, but I think I’m going to deviate from the script, just this once.”

She looked back over to the crowd, searching for Sebastian’s face. When she found him, the sight calmed her instantly. “I want to talk about my best friend. Now, I’m not going to embarrass him by saying his name, but for those of you who know us, you already know who he is.” She kept her eyes on Sebastian, hands moving deliberately through the signs as she talked. “He is the best person I’ve ever met, and he’s taught me so much. Now, he’ll argue that I’m the one who taught him this on his first day of school, but I don’t remember saying it to him. So, with revisionist history being what it is, I’m making him take the credit.

“He taught me to embrace your differences and the qualities about yourself that you think are weird. That eventually, they will be the only thing that separates you from the rest of the pack.” She saw Sebastian shake his head and mutter something. “Even if I did say something similar to him at first, do you know why I say he taught me this? It’s because he lived it. He came to this school, feeling weird and out of place, wanting nothing more than to fit in. Working his ass off, he fit in perfectly, becoming friends with people that I never would have guessed he would want to be friends with.” She looked over at Eric in the front row who smiled at her in encouragement. “But in the last couple of years, he got fed up with trying to be what everyone else wanted him to be. He wanted to dance in the rain, sing loudly off-key, shout curses in a foreign language most of you don’t even know exists. He wanted to be himself.

“So he stopped hiding where he came from, focusing on the good, instead of the bad. He allowed himself to break out of the restrictive box that he had locked himself into, and it made me love him more for it.” At those words, the crowd awwed and Elizabeth chuckled. “He’s my best friend, and I’m proud of him for realizing what a spectacular person he is. I hope we’ll stay friends for the rest of our lives. If you take away anything from what he taught me, it’s that those who matter don’t mind, and those who mind don’t matter. Don’t let anyone tell you to change who you intrinsically are. It’s the differences that make us unique, the things that make us who we are.

“Now, on to the obligatory stuff that Mr. Fruhauf wanted me to include.” Everyone chuckled, including the headmaster. “I may be the valedictorian, but I have no plans to save the world, or to cure cancer. My ambition is to become a photographer, visiting places that people haven’t seen in years. If I can touch one person with my images, I will consider myself successful. Even though I have colleges awarding me scholarships to go there for their STEM programs, I’m going to the one college that didn’t, North Eastern in Boston.” She paused, wanting to make sure that everyone understood where she was going with this. “My point is, whether you're the smartest kid in school or just barely scraped by, that doesn’t mean you can’t do anything you want with your life. Do you want to become a doctor or an astronaut? Then follow that dream. Do you want to write or paint? Follow that dream. Or, do you want to stay at home and have kids, because the thought of raising a family makes you happier than anything else? Then do that. Do what makes you happy. Find the thing you love to do. Even if it’s just as a hobby, make time for it. Life is too short to be miserable."

\--------------------

Sitting around the restaurant table, Sebastian watched his best friend chat with his parents and her mother. She kept playing with the St. Christopher medallion around her neck, smiling as she rubbed the silver. His was under his shirt, but the fact that she had gotten one for him and wore the one he gave her meant the world to him.

“Seb, do you want to go to Coney Island after this?” Elizabeth asked, turning to him.

He shrugged. “If you want to. Would you mind if Amber joined us though? I kind of promised her that we would hang out after dinner.” As nice as it would have been to spend the entire night with only Elizabeth, he was leaving in a few days for his last summer acting camp. If he didn’t make time for Amber, he wouldn’t get to see her until right before college.

At the mention of Amber, Elizabeth had to hide her disappointment. His girlfriend did not like her, not even a little bit. She had taken her to the side one day early on, telling her exactly that. Saying something about how he shouldn’t be friends with someone like her. But she had never told Sebastian any of that, not wanting to spoil a relationship that seemed to make him happy. What she wanted to tell him right then was no. No, she didn’t want to hang out with Amber. No, she wanted to spend the night with just him.

But only wanting to see him smile, she sighed. “Sure, Seb. She can come.”

Sebastian didn’t notice the downcast expression on her face, too busy dialing Amber’s number on his cell phone. “Awesome. It’s going to be so much fun.”

\--------------------

It wasn’t fun. Amber hung on his arm the entire time, keeping herself between the two friends. Elizabeth felt excluded from everything, even though Sebastian was trying his best to make her feel like she wasn’t the third wheel. She had known it was a bad idea, but seeing him smile was all that mattered, and Amber made him smile.

When Sebastian steered them over to the Ferris Wheel, Amber halted her steps, forcing them to stop. “There is no way in hell I’m going up on that… that thing, Sebby. Besides, you promised me we would have fun tonight. I hate Coney Island.”

“Amber…” he grumbled, trying to stop her before she kept going.

The biting tone in his voice didn’t seem to faze her, or maybe she just didn’t notice. “You were supposed to spend tonight with me, not her.” Amber glared at Elizabeth, arms crossed bitterly across her chest. “I’m tired of you putting her first, Sebby. We’re the ones in the relationship, not…”

Holding up a hand, Sebastian stopped her from finishing that sentence. He had to take several deep breaths, trying to calm himself before speaking. “You know what, Amber, I’m done. Lizzie is my best friend, and she will be my best friend long after you and I break up. If you can’t understand why I’d want to spend time with her, then maybe you aren’t the one for me.”

“But, Sebbyyyy…” she whined, the sound grating on his nerves.

“No. Go home, Amber. Think about what you want from us because right now, I’m of a mind to…”

“You’re seriously picking HER over me?” The disgust was evident in her tone.

Elizabeth stood to the side, trying to be invisible. She hated being around people who were fighting. The fact that they were arguing over her made it even worse.

Sebastian’s hands clenched into fists, jaw tightening as he tried to contain his anger. He had noticed that Elizabeth felt uncomfortable around his girlfriend but had never realized why. Yeah, Amber took a lot of his attention, but it had never occurred to him that she was this vicious. Looking over at his friend, he saw the anguish in her eyes and it made his blood boil. If any woman ever thought he would choose them over his Lizzie, they were sorely mistaken. Her friendship meant more to him than any woman ever would.

Turning back to Amber, he grinned widely, baring his teeth at her. Anyone who truly knew him would see that smile and know he was angry, but she clearly wasn't in that category because she just smiled back at him. Easing his fists open, he reached up and trailed a finger down her cheek. “I have an idea," he suggested with deliberate calm.

“Yes?” She actually fluttered her lashes at him and he had to stop himself from rolling his eyes.

“You and I? We’re done.” At those words, his soul felt a thousand times lighter. “In case you're wondering, yes, I am choosing Lizzie over you. She never made me change who I was to be her friend. All you’ve done since we got together is mold me into what you wanted me to be. I just didn’t realize it until now.”

“Sebby…” she cajoled, trying to reach out for him.

Taking a step back, he shook his head. “Go home, Amber. I’m sure one day you’ll find a guy who’s willing to give up his whole life for you, but I’m not. I will choose Lizzie every single fucking day of the week. And nothing you can say or do will change my mind.”

With a huff, Amber stormed off. Elizabeth turned to her friend, eyes wide as she tried to figure out what had just happened. Never once had he chosen her over something else. Not that she had ever made him choose, but still, he actually picked her. “Seb, you didn’t have to…”

“Hush," he interrupted gently. Throwing his arm over her shoulder, he directed her toward the Ferris wheel. “You are the best friend I’ve ever had. No one will ever come between us. And if they try, then fuck them.” Stopping, he grabbed both her hands in his, drawing them up to his chest. “_ Îmi pare rău. Sper să mă ierți. _ (I’m sorry. I hope you’ll forgive me.)”

“Seb…” Her heart broke at the pain she saw in his eyes. Drawing her hands from his, she wrapped her arms around his waist, pressing her cheek against his heart. “There's nothing to forgive.”

“Yes, there is. I didn’t realize that she…”

Looking up, she narrowed her eyes, saying sternly, “Sebastian Stan, when I say there is nothing to forgive, I mean it. She hid her bitch well, and I never told you, so how could you have known? You're my best friend, nothing will ever change that.”

“Are you sure?” 

He sounded so young when he asked the question that Elizabeth laid her head against his chest again, sighing as he pressed his face into her hair and settled his hands on her hips. “There is nothing in this world that you could do, Seb, that would take me away from you. Nothing. _ Te iubesc _, remember?”

“Yeah,_ şi eu te iubesc _.”

Pulling back, she grabbed his hand and started walking toward the Ferris wheel. “Come on, I want to go on the ride. It’ll be fun.”

There wasn’t a line, so the attendant said they could ride until someone else came along. As the wheel started to move, Elizabeth turned to Sebastian. “You didn’t have to do that, you know.”

“I know.” He shrugged, looking out at the ocean instead of her. The dark sky made it hard to see the water, but the lights from the pier illuminated it enough to see the waves crashing on the shore. “You’re my friend, Lizzie. You’re the one that’s always been there for me, even when I was a chubby seventh-grader who hated my accent. You never looked at me like there was something wrong with me.”

“Oh, Seb,” she breathed. Reaching her hand up, she placed a finger on his cheek and turned his face so he looked at her. “Best friend, remember. I had no one before you. You dragged me out of my shell, kicking and screaming, thrusting me into a world of people that scared me half to death. I will always be there for you. Always.”

“What am I going to do without you, Lizzie?" he mused, feeling anguish tug at his heart. "This summer… I was hoping that we could spend more time together, but I’m going to camp in a few days, then I won’t be back until right before our birthday.”

“When you get back, we’ll spend every day together until school starts.” Leaning her head against his shoulder, she closed her eyes, trying not to yawn. The day had been long and tiring, the rocking of the Ferris wheel cage lulling her into a half-sleep. “When we’re at college, we’ll talk all the time, visiting on weekends. If you think I’m going to let you get away from me, you’ve got another thing coming. When I say best friend for life, I mean for life. The only way off this ride is death.”

“God, you’re morbid.” He chuckled, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. “Life is a long time.”

“Yeah, and that’s why I say it. Because I plan on having you in my life forever.” The ride stopped at the bottom, and they got off when the attendant opened the gate. “Forever, Seb. If you want to back out, you'd better do it now.”

He laughed again, grabbing her hand and pulling her in the direction of the midway games. “You’re a fool if you think you’ll get rid of me that easily. You would have to do something pretty bad to get me to stop being your friend.”

“Like…?”

“Well, murdering me would work," he teased. Stopping and looking down at his best friend, Sebastian thought back to all the good times they’d shared over the last six years. “And I’m pretty sure you wouldn’t do that, so you’re stuck with me. Forever.”

Her eyes welled with tears and she forced a smile to her face. “How about you win me a stuffed animal and we can stop talking about this mushy stuff?”

“Your wish is my command.”


	10. One Last Hurrah

2001

Elizabeth wobbled in her high heels, grateful to be on the way back to Sebastian’s house. She and Sebastian had spent the last several hours at Eric's, celebrating their mutual birthday and the end of an era - the transition from adolescence to adulthood. Eric's parents gave them the house for the night, purchasing an abundance of alcohol for them to enjoy. They wanted him to have normal teenage experiences, so they did their best to be the 'cool parents', giving him a lot more leeway than they would have otherwise. God, they had drunk so much, she wasn’t even sure how many cups she had. There had been a bowl of something that tasted delicious but was made of pure liquor, going down so smooth that it didn't feel like drinking alcohol. After the first glass, the room had started spinning, only gotten worse the more she drank.

Another few glasses and she was drunk, leaning against Sebastian for support as the night progressed. Wearing shoes with a four-inch heel was the stupidest thing she had ever done. The last time she wore them was for the homecoming dance, and even then they had been uncomfortable. But he kept his arm wrapped around her, shifting her weight off her feet and onto him. Stroking her side the entire time sending shivers down her spine. All that did was make it difficult to concentrate on what everyone was talking about, her focus solely on his touch and how it made her feel.

Every once in awhile, Sebastian would put his mouth next to her ear and whisper something funny. When he did, his lips would brush up against her cheek and she could pretend that he was flirting with her. Of course, he was flirting, but he did that to everyone when he drank. At least, he did it to her and Amber before they broke up.

Once they reached the point where they either needed to leave or call his parents to pick them up, Sebastian had suggested walking home. Luckily, she had stopped drinking about an hour before that, so her ‘so drunk she needed help to remain upright’ had morphed into ‘just drunk enough that she was stumbling all over the place but wouldn't fall over'. As they walked home, he would sometimes help her stand by wrapping an arm around her, but he never held on for longer than it took to help her steady herself.

As they approached his house, Elizabeth stumbled again, managing to catch herself at the last second. Considering she rarely wore heels, she was impressed with herself for being able to stay on her feet all night. Probably had something to do with all the alcohol they had been drinking numbing her feet enough that she didn’t feel the aching soles. Glancing over at Sebastian, she began to ascend the porch steps, not paying attention to where she was going. Missing the first step, she tumbled sideways, but before she could hit the ground a pair of strong arms wrapped around her waist.

“Thanks,” she half-giggled. The childish noise escaping her lips sealed it for her, she had definitely had too much to drink. Expecting him to release her once she regained her footing, she was surprised when his hands lingered. Softly, they ghosted over her sides, one settling on her hip while the other wandered up to gently cup her face. His blue eyes were blown nearly black, although she couldn’t figure out if it was from the alcohol or something else. “Seb?” she prompted, a slight tremor in her voice. If he stayed this close to her, she wouldn’t be able to hide her response to him.

“I don’t want you to go to Boston.” His voice was barely above a whisper as he stroked his thumb over the swell of her cheek. “It’s too far.”

“Not that far,” she disagreed. Her voice sounded breathy, even to her, and she knew his proximity was getting to her. “Close enough for weekend trips.”

He shook his head. “Too far,” he insisted, leaning into her.

“Seb…” Her voice came out a breathless moan but she couldn’t help it. “What are you doing?”

Resting his forehead against hers, Sebastian breathed deep, inhaling her scent, a subtle floral blend that was more intoxicating than anything he’d drunk that night. “I don’t know,” he admitted.

“Seb…” She nearly moaned again. He was leaning closer, and if he kissed her like she so desperately wanted, she would be lost. “Sebastian…”

The sound of his name rasping from her lips was too much for him. “Lizzie,” he pleaded, his mouth hovering over hers, waiting for any signal that she wanted this as much as he did.

What was she supposed to do? Before she could decide, a word escaped her lips unbidden, “Yes.”

He didn’t even let her finish speaking before his lips connected with hers, slanting and sliding deliciously against the sensitive skin. He felt as she gasped into the kiss, lips parting, and he slid his tongue into her mouth, the sensation sending electricity through his veins. A groan rose from his throat as he gathered her against his chest, the feel of her soft curves pressed close to his body inflaming him further.

Elizabeth felt as if she were drowning in Sebastian’s kiss. All she could think was more, more, more… finally. With one hand, she dug her fingers into his hair, the other wrapping around his back, pressing her hips against his. A strangled groan escaped his lips and she could feel the hard ridge of his erection straining against his jeans.

As he went to fill his hands with the sweet curve of her ass and pull her harder against his aching flesh, Sebastian heard the click of the front door being unlocked from the inside. Quickly pushing himself away from Elizabeth, he turned in time to see his mother’s face appear in the doorway.

“Oh, you’re home,” she greeted, observant eyes flicking between them. Georgeta had an idea of what they’d been up to, but she didn’t want to make Elizabeth feel any more uncomfortable than she obviously already was. “I was beginning to get worried.”

Grateful his shirt was untucked so it concealed his aching  hard-on  from his mother, he touched his hand to the small of Elizabeth’s back, taking her elbow in his right to guide her unsteadily up the stairs. “We’re fine,  _ Mamă _ ,” he assured, ignoring her knowing smirk as she stood to the side, letting them enter the house. When Elizabeth nearly tripped again, he sighed, bending down and scooping her into his arms.

“I can walk!” she protested, smacking the palm of her hand into his shoulder.

The sound of one of her high heels hitting the floor brought an amused grin to his face. “You can’t even keep your shoes on,” he teased, walking down the hall into his bedroom. Setting her down on her feet at the end of his bed, he tossed her a clean shirt from his dresser. “Sleep,” he directed, procuring night clothes for himself and grabbing a pillow off the bed. “We’ve both had way too much to drink.” Before she could reply, he left the room, closing the door behind him. He trudged into the living room, sullenly settling onto the couch with his pillow and blanket kept there for nights like this. Sometimes, he wondered if she slept in his bed more often than he did.

Laying a hand over his eyes, Sebastian groaned. Lizzie. God, he’d fucked that up big time. It was obvious she was drunk from the way she had been acting the past several hours. He knew she wasn’t totally herself, and yet, he hadn’t been able to fight the urge to kiss her perfect mouth. When she’d fallen against him tripping up the steps, she had felt so soft, so delicate. He’d promised himself just a touch, only for a moment. But when he’d touched her face, all he could think was that this might be his last chance. So he’d taken it. But he shouldn’t have. She was drunk, too drunk to know what she was doing. For that matter, so was he. He knew it was the copious quantities of alcohol in her system that made her respond to his kiss, or maybe it was the alcohol in his that made him imagine her response? It didn’t matter, it wasn’t real. Tomorrow. Tomorrow morning he would apologize for being an ass. That was the least she deserved after his selfish actions.

He felt his mother’s presence behind him, her watchful eyes seeing everything. “I don’t want to talk about it,  _ Mamă _ ,” he sighed, shifting his face to the back of the couch and pulling the blanket over his head.

Georgeta regarded her son’s still form for a moment longer before walking away. “Oh,  _ fiul meu _ ,” she mused softly, climbing the steps to the second floor and her bedroom. “ _ Cât de orb ești. Cât de orbi sunteți amândoi. _ (How blind you are. How blind you both are.)”

\--------------------

Sebastian woke up with a crick in his neck and a horrible headache. Too bad he remembered everything that happened the previous night. It would have been great if he could have forgotten how Elizabeth’s body felt pressed against his. The way she smelled like summer, the way her lips felt so soft when he kissed her. God, the moan she made when he pressed himself against her. Being drunk is not an excuse, he felt more like an asshole than he had last night.

Climbing off the couch, he stretched and folded the blanket, procrastinating what needed to be done. But when he smelled coffee, he knew it was already too late. His mother was awake, probably waiting for him to talk to her about what had happened.

Since she would be hurt if he didn’t at least say hello, he made his way into the kitchen. “ _ Bună dimineața, Mamă _ (good morning).”

“ _ Fiul meu _ , you’re awake. Good.” Georgeta took a sip of her coffee, leaning against the counter. It took her several seconds to figure out how to word her question. “So, you and Elizabeth, are you two…”

“ _ Nu, Mamă _ . Nothing happened,” he lied, trying to keep his face impassive. It quickly became apparent that she knew he was lying from the way her head cocked as she frowned, and he dropped his gaze to the ground, shuffling his feet from side to side. “We had too much to drink, that’s all. I’m on my way up to apologize.”

Heart breaking for them, she put down her cup and pulled her son into her arms, rubbing his back. “It will be alright, Sebby. She loves you.”

“I know, I just need to apologize before she thinks the worst of me.” Sebastian pulled away and left the kitchen, not wanting to see the look of pity and disappointment on his mother’s face.

When he pushed open the door to his bedroom, he saw Elizabeth lying there on her side, a few loose strands of hair framing her face. She was so fucking beautiful. God, why did he always screw everything up? Settling himself on the edge of the bed, he laid a hand on her arm, stroking gently to wake her up.

She groaned, pulling the blanket up and over her head. “Go ‘way,” she mumbled. “Head hurts.”

“I know,  _ iubita _ , I know.” The moment he called her sweetheart he cursed himself for the slip. But she didn't seem to notice, just mumbling something else he couldn't make out. “Lizzie, I need to talk to you. Just for a minute, then I’ll let you go back to sleep.”

“ _ Nu, băiat rău, du-te departe. _ (No, evil boy, go away.)”

“Lizzie,” he pleaded. “One minute, then I’ll go away.”

Sighing, she took the blanket off her head but kept her eyes shut against the glare of the sun. She laid an arm over her head, peering out from beneath it. “What’s wrong?”

“I’m an asshole,” he stated. “I got drunk last night and did something stupid. I took advantage of you and I’m sorry.”

“Seb, you’re not an…”

“Yes, I am.” He rubbed at his eyes in an attempt to calm the ache behind them. Trying to make up for his inexcusable actions was harder than anticipated. But when her hazel eyes met his, all he wanted was to kiss her again. Push her back on his bed, settle himself between her thighs and... He had to stop thinking about her like that, it only made things more difficult. “You know alcohol fucks with my brain.”

“Yeah, I know.” Sitting up, she ignored the shooting pain in her skull, resting her forehead on his shoulder as she wrapped her arms around him. She murmured, “You always get extra flirty and horny when you drink.” It was the only explanation that made sense as to why he would have kissed her like that. When he kissed her, time stood still. If Georgeta hadn't opened the door who knows what would have happened. But Elizabeth knew one thing for sure, she hadn't wanted it to end.

“It was a mistake.” The instant the words left his lips, he wanted to retract them but knew he couldn’t. He needed her to feel comfortable around him, and if she thought he would accost her anytime they were together, she wouldn't be. “Next time I get fresh with you, kick me in the balls or something.”

Elizabeth pulled back and forced out a laugh, but it felt like her heart was being torn in two. When Sebastian had put her to bed last night she had realized something that terrified her - she was in love with her best friend. Gone was the simple crush of youth, in its place the inexplicable feeling of love. Before, it had been easier to ignore the feelings when they bubbled to the surface. But that kiss… oh, that kiss had been her undoing. 

While trying to fall asleep, she argued with herself over whether or not to tell him. He was her best friend and she didn’t want to lose him. But what if there was a chance that he felt the same? Was she willing to risk years of friendship on a long shot? The answer was yes. She made the decision to tell him she was in love with him, that she wanted to see if they could make it work. It was better to try and fail than to keep these feelings hidden for the rest of her life. But as soon as he said it was a mistake, every reason for why it was a bad idea came rushing back. She couldn’t tell him now, no matter how desperately she wanted to.

“I have a better idea. Next time, don’t drink so fucking much,” she grumbled, unable to keep her emotions in check. Her anger leaked out as she spoke, sharply accentuating each syllable. “Then we won’t get in this predicament again.”

Sebastian cringed, her harsh words reverberating down his spine. Trying to soothe her anger, he mumbled, “ _ Îmi pare rău _ .”

God, she couldn’t stay mad at him. It wasn’t his fault she had fallen in love with him, that her feelings for him had morphed into something more than friendship. Taking a breath, she wrapped her arms around him again, holding him tight. All she wanted to do was calm down the anxiety she could sense in him. “Look, you did nothing you need to be sorry for. I’m going to say this once, then we’re never going to mention it again. It was only a kiss. Was it fantastic? Yes. God yes. But you didn’t molest me, you didn’t do anything that I said no to. Remember, I was drunk too.” She hated saying these things, but he seemed so downtrodden, all she wanted was for him to smile again. “If it makes you feel better, I forgive you. There is nothing that needs forgiveness, but all the same, you have mine.”

“ _ Te iubesc _ , Lizzie,” he murmured against her hair, wishing he could say those words the way he wanted.

“ _ Și eu te iubesc _ ., Seb,” Elizabeth spoke those words softly but put her whole heart into them. If she couldn’t tell him the truth, at least she was able to say the words without him realizing what she truly meant. “Always and forever, Seb. Always and forever.”


	11. College

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> During the emails between Seb & Lizzie, the italics are Lizzie, non-italics are Seb.

2001-2005 

August 2001 

“I’m going to miss you, Seb.” Elizabeth held onto him tightly, not wanting to let go. Their schools were only four hours apart so visiting wasn’t impossible, but it felt like the end of their friendship, even though they had promised nothing would change. “It’s not going to be the same without you there.”

Sebastian pulled his head back, looking down at his best friend. “Shit, I’m gonna miss you too, Lizzie. How am I going to survive without you outdoing me in every class?"

“I didn’t outdo you in every class,” she argued.

“You were valedictorian.” Slowly, he released her, intertwining his fingers with hers so he could walk her home. They had spent their last Friday together at the park, just hanging out, talking about life and the future. Not once did they bring up their birthday or the kiss they had shared. After that night, they had just pretended it didn’t happen, the unspoken agreement keeping them from rehashing the same pain over again. “I don’t care that you’re smarter than me. In fact, it’s nice having a friend who is brilliant. It gives me a good reason to call whenever I need help with homework.”

She stopped, frowning. “You never need a reason to call me. Anytime you want, just pick up the phone and dial my number. I’ll answer.”

“Even if you’re in class?”

“Well, maybe not if I’m in class. Don’t want to get kicked out for being rude. But I’ll call you right back as soon as my class is over.” She pulled him into another hug. “How am I supposed to do this without you? You were always better at making friends than me. You're the only reason I have as many as I do.”

“You’ll be fine. I have faith that everything will work out exactly as it’s supposed to. All you have to do is be open to new experiences. Be willing to open up and meet people. That’s it.” He stroked her back, trying to be happy. Going to Rutgers for acting was his dream. But his dream future had always included Elizabeth. Maybe not in the capacity that he imagined at night when trying to sleep, but she was always there, right beside him. “We’ll visit each other, email all the time. I’m not going to let you disappear on me. I swear, I will always be there for you, Lizzie. You’re my best friend, and there is no way in hell I’m letting that go.”

Elizabeth buried her face in his chest to hide her blush. They had lived apart their entire lives, living across the Hudson from one another. This wouldn’t be any different, except they wouldn’t see each other at school. But they had been friends for six years, and that meant everything to her. She wasn’t going to lose him, no matter what. “I’m not letting you go either, Seb. Best friends for life.”

“Best friends for life.”

\----------

E-mails between Sebastian and Elizabeth.

October 2001 

_ Seb, _

_ Happy Halloween!! I’m sorry I didn’t write sooner. School is kind of kicking my ass. I know, I know. You’re probably thinking to yourself that I was valedictorian, I should be good at school. Well, I’m not. This is so stressful. Ollie is my roommate, which is awesome because I didn’t know she was going to attend North Eastern, but she spends a good portion of her time dating so many different guys. Shit, I’m pretty sure she goes on a date with a different guy at least three times a week. It makes me wish I had gone to NYU and lived at home, then I wouldn’t have to worry about drunk assholes waking me up at 3 am. Do you know why she and Eric broke up? Is it just because he went to Cali for school? I swear, I thought those two would get married. They were perfect for each other. _

\-----

Lizzie,

I would never say that you should be doing well at school simply because you were valedictorian. What I will tell you is that you know how to study. You did it for years, that’s why you did so well. You are smart AND talented. Just remember to breathe and think about why you’re doing this. One day, your artwork will be so famous that I won’t be able to afford it. You’re going places kid. And I’m glad that I get to watch you reach for the stars.

As for Eric and Ollie, I don’t know why they broke up. But I know that he’s doing the same thing, dating girl after girl. He only went to college in Cali because she encouraged him to. So if she’s upset, she has no one to blame but herself.

Things are good here. I’m going to be in a play in a few months. Just a small part, but I have lines. Maybe only three lines, but it’s a speaking part so I’m not complaining. I don’t want to jinx it, so I’m not going to tell you what play, but I’ll save some tickets at the box office for you so you can come if you want to. I miss you, Lizzie.

December 2001 

_ I’m sorry I missed the play, I had a fucking test to study for. You don’t even know how angry I am that I couldn’t come to see you in your first college play. I feel like a horrible friend. Now, I know you’ll say I’m not, that you understand. But you shouldn’t. It may be a four-hour drive down to Rutgers, but I should have come anyway. That’s what friends do, they make time for one another. I’m just glad that we got to spend some time together on Thanksgiving. Not being able to see you every day sucks. _

_ I love photography and journalism, but the classes I'm taking are not what I thought I would be doing when I decided to pursue a degree in photojournalism. I thought I would be learning how to tell stories with my photos. Instead, I’m taking English and math, not to mention the awful science class I got suckered into. What I wouldn’t give for a weekend off where I could come and visit you. I would even sleep on the floor, I don’t care. I just miss my friend. _

_ Georgeta told me that you won’t be home for Christmas, that you’re going somewhere. I don’t remember where, but I’m going to miss you. I had hoped we could go to Coney Island, binge on chocolate caramel popcorn then ride the Ferris wheel. Spend the day, just the two of us, hiding away from our parents like we were kids again. I guess I’ll have to figure out something else to do. _

\-----

Don’t worry about it. Like I said, it wasn’t a big part, and I’m going to be in a lot more plays before school is over. I might even get a lead role. You can come to those. Pretty sure my mom recorded it, so you can just watch the video if really want to see my thirty seconds of stage time. It’s not as exciting as you’re probably expecting.

If you could come down and visit, that would be awesome. The guys I’m rooming with wouldn’t mind. And shit, you can just sleep in my bed, I’ll take the couch. We’ve had that sleeping arrangement enough times, this wouldn’t be any different. I miss you too. I’ll admit, school is keeping me busier than I thought it would but I would love it if you came. Maybe I’ll see if I can come to Boston for a day or two before winter break.

I’m sorry that I won’t be home for Christmas. One of the guys invited me to Colorado to go skiing with his family. I’ve never been and I thought it would be fun. Trust me, my mom is already pissed at me for not coming home during break. It’s not going to happen again, but I already have my tickets and everything purchased or I would back out.

Spring break next year, I’ll come home and we can do Coney Island. Spend the whole week together, just the two of us, like we used to. Because I miss you, more than I miss my parents. I never realized how hard it would be, not having you close by. I keep wanting to call you, but every time I think of it, it’s too late. As much as you said I could call anytime, you need your sleep. I remember how cranky you get when your beauty rest is interrupted.

I’ve met someone, she’s really sweet. I think you would like her. Her name’s Jenny and she’s smart, oh so smart. Too smart to be with a guy like me. Her major is theater as well and she’s in most of my classes, at least this semester. One day, I’m going to bring her to New York to meet you. You guys should get along really well, she reminds me a lot of you. 

\-----

_ Don’t worry about Christmas. My mom wants to go to Rhode Island to visit my grandparents, so it’s actually good you won’t be here. Then I won’t have to worry about not seeing my friend. As for spring break, let’s not count our chickens before they’re hatched. We don’t know what life will look like in four months, so let’s plan later. _

_ I’m glad you’ve met someone that makes you happy. You tell her that if she hurts you I’ll kick her ass. Best friend’s prerogative. And I’ve been going out, some. Ollie keeps trying to set me up with guys, but I just don’t have the energy. Maybe one of these days I’ll feel like it, but right now, I just want to learn. Dating can wait until I have more free time. _

February 2002 

Happy V-Day!! I’m going out with Jenny tonight. Taking her to some fancy steak place. I hope that you are having a good day. Any plans for tonight? I miss you.

\-----

_ No plans. Just studying. Sometimes I wish I had someone to take me out to a fancy dinner, but then I remember that I would rather have a hamburger and a milkshake. Do you remember talking about dating in high school? I said that my ideal date was a hot dog sitting in Central Park, feeding bread to the pigeons. Well, that still holds true. I’m simple, I don’t need fancy. I hope that you’re taking her out to this restaurant because you want to, not because she does. _

_ I remember your ideal date too, or at least what you told me. You wanted to get a pizza, mushrooms and sausage, taking it to Coney Island. Then you would sit with your date on the pier, legs hanging off the edge as you watch the sunset together. Simple, quiet, peaceful. Away from the world, from the hustle and bustle, just you and the girl you were with. You should do that with Jenny. I know that I would love that kind of date, just me and my guy. I miss you too, Seb, so much. _

\-----

Jenny wanted to go out for steak, but I picked the restaurant. I know what I said about my ideal date, but I’m just happy making her happy. She isn’t the type of girl to dangle her legs off the pier. To be honest, when I thought of my ideal date, it was with someone who liked the same thing. Being away from everyone, just the two of us. But as long as the person I’m with is smiling, that’s all that matters to me.

\-----

_ As long as she makes you happy, then I’m happy. _

\-----

She does, I promise.

June 2002 

This internship is great! I’m just fetching coffee, but I get to work with actors. Real actors!! I’ve made so many contacts just by coming to LA, it’s ridiculous. How’s working at Cosmo going? Killed any anorexic models yet?

\-----

_ First of all, screw you. Having fun at your internship, that’s not fair. I was led to believe that I would be learning from the photographers here, but instead, they have me making copies and getting coffee. I haven’t even set foot in the studio. How’s Jenny? _

\-----

Jenny is loving LA. I’m so fucking happy she came with me. Without her, this place would not be nearly as much fun. She’s got a job at a theater near our apartment, and I’m actually thinking about trying out for a short run production of _ Death of a Salesman. _It’s been so long since we’ve seen each other, I’m starting to forget what you look like. What color are your eyes again? Brown? Green? Orange? I miss you so fucking much. While I love LA, I think next year I’m going to try harder to get an internship in New York. I miss the pizza, not to mention my best friend.

Maybe we can do our ideal dates with each other before the next school year starts. I’ll be back for a week before heading back to Rutgers, and Jenny will be with her parents. I’ll buy you a hot dog in Central Park and a loaf of bread to feed the pigeons, and we’ll sit there, talking about everything like we used to. Then for dinner, we’ll go to our favorite pizza joint, get a couple of slices and head to Coney Island. Sit on the pier, watch the sunset. I can’t think of anyone I would rather spend my time with.

\-----

_ I’m glad that you’re happy. That’s all that matters, that you’re happy. Remember, be yourself, nothing else matters. Don’t let anyone change the man that I know. He’s a pretty fucking awesome human, no matter what he thinks. _

\-----

You never answered about the date idea. What do you think?

\-----

_ Sure. Sounds like fun. _

\-----

Don’t force yourself on my account. I don’t want to make you do anything you don’t want to.

\-----

_ I’m sorry, Seb. I’m just stressed about work. I would love to spend the day with you, doing our ideal dates with each other. Hopefully, we’ll be able to do it. My internship goes right up until the last possible moment before school starts, so I’m not sure I’ll be able to get time off. But I’ll try. _

August 2002 

Happy 19th birthday! Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do. Actually, don’t do anything I would do either. Have a great day, Lizzie. I’m sorry we can’t do our normal birthday meal with chocolate Nutella cake.

\-----

_ Happy birthday, Seb. What exactly does that leave if I can’t do anything you would and wouldn’t do? Some fine line in between that you’re unsure of? I have no plans for the night. I’m too exhausted. Work is killing me. But at least I’ve started getting to see the studio. The photographers glare at me if I get to close, but I’m getting some good ideas for a series I want to start. Ollie already said she would pose for me, so I’ve got a model. She made me promise my firstborn in exchange for modeling though. I didn’t have the heart to tell her I don’t want children. _

\-----

Since when do you not want children? You even had their names picked out. How come you didn’t ask me to model? If it will help, you can promise me your firstborn too, then it will cancel out with Ollie. I’m sure you’d much rather I take your firstborn than her.

\-----

_ How about this? If you ever model for me, you can have my firstborn. And I decided on no children when I realized that I wanted to travel. Having kids makes that hard. Plus, I haven’t met anyone that makes me want to have kids. Maybe one day I’ll change my mind, but not anytime soon. _

\-----

How can I take your firstborn if you don’t have one?

\-----

_ Don’t think about it. It’ll make your head hurt. _

May 2003 

Seems we keep missing each other, doesn’t it? I feel like it’s been forever since I’ve seen you. Have we really not been in the same place in almost two years? And I’ve got another internship in LA. Jenny’s coming with me again, so I won’t be alone, but I miss my best friend. We really need to make time to see one another.

\-----

_ You guys have been dating for a long time now. Is it getting serious? I mean, of course it’s serious, but you know what I’m asking. Is she the one? _

\-----

Is she the one? I don’t know, I don’t think so. Do I love her? Well, yeah. I wouldn’t be with her if I didn’t. But we’ve already talked about it, and this is just until we graduate or get tired of one another. I’m going to be acting, and she’s moving to Cali to get into directing. Besides, we still have two years of school left, who knows what will happen.

\--------------------

October 2003 

Elizabeth climbed out of the shower, put on her robe, then tucked her hair into the towel, wrapping it around her head. Leaving the bathroom, she walked down the hall to her room and pushed open the door. Olive was sitting on the bed studying, furiously taking notes.

Putting her book down, Olive watched her friend apply cream to her face. “You’re coming out with me tonight.”

“No. I’m not. I have to study.”

“You study all the time. It’s Halloween, you need to get out and live a little. You don’t even have to dress up, just wear a pair of jeans and a shirt.” She pouted, wanting her friend to finally get out and do something. Maybe even get laid. “The parties at a frat so there will be boys. Lots of boys.”

“I don’t want…”

“Shut up, don’t say it.” Olive rolled her eyes, exasperated at her friend. “I know that you never got over your crush on Sebastian, no matter how many times you’ve said that you don’t like him. I’m not stupid. But he’s dating some chick and has been for a while. He’s not yours. You need to get over him, and the best way to do that is with another guy.”

Bending over, Elizabeth towel dried her hair and then stood back up, flipping her hair onto her back. This was the first time she had done this in front of her friend. There had been too many people in the communal bathroom which is why she had come back to her room.

“Holy shit, Liz, your hair.” Olive couldn’t help but stare. She had never seen her friend's hair out of the ever-present bun she wore at the base of her neck. It was long. Super long, and curly. It hung all the way to her hips and had that perfect soft curl that most girls would kill for, including her. “Why the fuck have you been hiding that away?”

Elizabeth started to put her hair into a bun, feeling self-conscious. “It sucks, that’s why. It never does what I want it to, and it just ends up looking like a rat slept in it.”

Climbing off the bed, Olive grabbed Elizabeth’s hands and pulled them away from her head, combing her fingers through the perfect curls. “Oh, honey, your hair is gorgeous. I can help you figure it out. There are products out there that won’t feel like you’re wearing anything. We’ll get a little bit of this length cut off, get some layers thrown in, you will look like a goddess. God, guys are going to fall head over heels for you once they get a look at it. Has Sebastian ever seen this?”

Choosing to ignore talk of her best friend, Elizabeth avoided looking in the mirror. “I don’t think you’ll be able to make this look good. I’ve tried.”

“When? When was the last time you did something other than a bun?” When her friend didn’t answer, Olive laughed. “I’m guessing it was before you started at Rockland because I never saw you without a bun. Ever. Not even at the school dances. And I’m pretty sure that Sebastian hasn’t either.”

“Why do you keep bringing him up?” Being reminded that he existed was difficult. She had tried to forget about him, only writing him back when he wrote her first. Which is why they hadn’t exchanged an email in months.

“I’m sorry, I won’t bring him up again.” Olive kept running her fingers through the damps strands, gently untangling them. “Now, we’re going to do your hair and you’re coming out tonight. No arguments.”

\--------------------

Elizabeth stood there, holding a beer in her hand, shuffling from side to side. Did she want to leave? Yes. Would she? No. She had promised Olive to stay for at least two hours, knowing full well that if she didn’t her friend would be pissed at her. Especially after paying for her to get eight inches chopped off her hair and then spending two hours teaching her all about how to take care of curls.

A deep voice asked, “What are you dressed up as?”

Turning, Elizabeth looked up into the bluest eyes she had ever seen. The guy looked a lot like Sebastian, dark hair, blue eyes, killer smile… even the square jawline reminded her of her best friend. She took a long drag of the beer and smiled. “I’m a poor college student.” When he laughed, she did too. God, she found herself thinking of him, again. Drinking was never a good idea, it just brought up painful memories that she preferred stayed buried. “And what are you supposed to be?”

“I’m a poor student too.” He shrugged, blue eyes lighting with mirth as he struggled not to laugh. “This is my frat, so I kinda had to come. Otherwise, I would be playing video games right now.”

“Ditto. On the being forced to come, not that this is my frat.” Elizabeth chuckled nervously. “My friend made me come, otherwise I would be studying.” Glancing around furtively, she tried to find Olive. “And... I have no idea where she went.”

“You wanna get out of here? Go somewhere less… crowded.”

When he asked that, her mind went blank. Here was this guy, interested in her, and she had no idea why. But he was gorgeous and she wanted to forget about life for just a little bit. Sebastian was constantly on her case about living life, so to hell with it, she was going to enjoy this moment. “Well, my roommate is here, probably for the night. Want to hang out at my place?”

He took her beer bottle and put it on the table next to her, drawing her closer to him. One hand reached up, curling a piece of her hair around his finger. “Beautiful, I will hang out with you anywhere.” Leaning down, he whispered in her ear, “And yes, that was a euphemism for sex.”

She struggled to hold back the chuckle, snorting out a laugh. He looked vaguely offended, so Elizabeth grabbed his head and pulled his face to hers, taking a chance and kissing him. “I’m Elizabeth.”

“Mark.” Grabbing her hand, he pulled her out of the house. “Let’s move this somewhere less public.”

\--------------------

Elizabeth laid in bed, wondering what the fuss was all about. Mark had left a while ago after they had sex twice. It felt good, but she hadn't come either time. Each time she had looked into his blue eyes it brought back memories of Sebastian, so she’d had to look away. Imagining her best friend during sex with another guy was a surefire way to hurt herself all over again.

The clock showed it was almost one in the morning, but the only thing she wanted to do was call Sebastian. When he had lost his virginity she had managed to pry it out of him, pretending to be happy because he was. This seemed like something to share with him, even though it was probably a bad idea. Scratch that, it was a horrible idea, but she still wanted to do it. They hadn’t seen each other, or talked on the phone, since Thanksgiving freshman year. She missed her friend.

Dialing his number, she listened as the phone rang. A female voice answered, “Hello?”

“Hi, is Sebastian there?”

“Sebby,” the woman yelled shrilly in her ear. “There’s a girl on the phone for you.” As he took the phone, Elizabeth heard anger in her voice. “Why the fuck is there a girl calling you at this time of night? Who the fuck is Lizzie?”

“Lizzie?” he asked tentatively.

“Hey, Seb.”

“Hold on, one sec.” He pulled the phone away, but she could still hear him speaking. “Jenny, this is my best friend, Lizzie. I’ve told you about her.”

“Sebby, we were in the middle of…” the girl's voice whined.

“I’ll be there in a minute.” The sound of flesh hitting flesh was audible through the phone and she heard laughter. “Just let me see what’s up.” He came back on the phone. “Hey, Lizzie. God, it’s been so long.”

“Seb, I…” What was she doing? This was a mistake. “I’m sorry. I’ll let you get back to Jenny.”

“No, tell me what’s wrong. You never used to call this late, and shit, we haven’t talked since before…” He groaned and ran a hand through his hair. “_ Te rog, _ Lizzie _ , spune-mi ce s-a întâmplat. Nu te pot ajuta dacă nu știu ce se întâmplă în capul tău. _ (Please, Lizzie, tell me what's wrong. I can't help if I don't know what's going on in your head.)”

“It’s nothing,” she lied. “Go back to your girlfriend. I’ll send you an email. I didn’t mean to disturb you.”

“_ Scumpo, nu m-ai deranjat. eşti cel mai bun prieten. Lasă-mă să te ajut. _(Sweetheart, you didn't disturb me. You're my best friend. Let me help.)”

“I’m sorry.” She hung up the phone, quickly putting it on silent. Sebastian would probably call back, and she didn’t want to have to listen to the phone ring. But still, she stared at the screen, hoping that he would. When the call never came, she put the phone face down on her nightstand, pulling her covers up to her chin.

It seemed like everything was changing. They had been friends for so many years, and Elizabeth had wished for more. But wishing doesn't change anything and they were drifting apart. Sebastian was in love, probably going to marry Jenny and have lots of adorable babies, moving to LA to be an actor. All Elizabeth wanted was to go back to high school, when times were simpler and she hadn’t realized yet that she was desperately in love with him. Before they had gotten drunk and he had kissed her, erection pressing hard against her body. Before he had apologized, saying that he was drunk, that it hadn’t meant anything.

Tears streamed down her face as she tried to fall asleep. What was she supposed to do now?

\--------------------

Emails between Sebastian and Elizabeth.

October 2003 

_ Sorry again about last night. I didn’t mean to call you so late. I just… I wanted to tell you something, but now I realize it’s probably not something I should share. Was Jenny mad I called so late? I don’t want her to be mad at you for something I did. _

\-----

No, she’s not mad. Why would you think… God, you must think she’s like Amber. Jenny is nothing like Amber. You would actually like her. We were just… You called right as we were about to go to bed. No one calls that late, so she was a little miffed, but she knows who you are. I talk about you all the time. You’re still my best friend, Lizzie, nothing will ever come between us. And you can tell me anything. Come on, you managed to pry out of me that I lost my virginity after homecoming, nothing you tell me can top that.

\-----

_ Umm, well… I met someone last night. That’s all I wanted to tell you, that I met someone. He’s really nice, I think you’d like him. _

\-----

That’s it?

\-----

_ What else do you want to know? Do you want me to tell you that he took me home and fucked my brains out? _

\-----

Holy fuck, Lizzie, I just snorted Coke out my nose. What the fuck?! You took some guy home you had just met and fucked him? Come on, I thought I taught you better than that. You should at least get dinner first. Have the guy wine and dine you, then on date three, you can have him fuck your brains out.

\-----

_ First of all, that’s not what I said. I asked if you wanted me to tell you that. Second, if I want to meet someone and fuck them without making them buy me dinner, that’s my choice to make. You’re not my father or my boyfriend, Seb. I love you, but I’m twenty and can make my own life choices. _

\-----

Shit, you did, didn’t you? I was just joking, but you’re getting all defensive. Good for you, kid. Learning to live a little, break out of your shell. Was that why you called to talk to me? Tell me you’d had sex. But why would you call to tell me that, unless… You know what, I think I can guess and I don’t want to know. I’m going to pretend this conversation never happened. Because that is definitely something I don't need to know, nor do I want to think about.

So, what are your plans for Thanksgiving? Jenny and I will be at my parent’s house. Maybe you can come over and meet her. Seriously, you would love her.

\-----

_ Alright, the conversation never happened. But in case you’re wondering the question to your unasked question, it’s yes. And that is why I called, I wanted to share it with my best friend. Because that’s what best friends do, they overshare with one another, even about super personal stuff. I’ll see you at Thanksgiving. _ Naşă _ already invited me over for dinner, and since my mother will be with my grandparents in Maine, she didn’t want me to be alone. _

\-----

I know I said the conversation would be over, but I just want to say that I’m happy for you. Now, we’re never going to speak of this again. I’ll see you at Thanksgiving in a few weeks. _ Te iubesc _.

December 2003 

_ Alright, I loved Jenny. She’s perfect. Sweet, pretty, perky… I actually liked her. She’s perfect for you. I’m really happy you found someone that makes you smile. _

\-----

She is pretty awesome, huh? But don’t worry, you’re still my best girl. Now and always.

June 2004 

Back in LA, AGAIN! I swear and vow, after I’ve got some money, I’m buying a condo in the city and then I’ll just fly to wherever filming is taking place. I used to love come to Cali, the warm weather, beaches, the sun… But I miss NYC. It’s just not the same here. Plus, I miss you. I’m glad we got to see each other a few months ago. We may not have been able to hang just the two of us, but I’m really happy we at least go to see one another. I don’t know if _ Mamă _ has told you or not, but for my last year of college, I’m going to be in London. I got accepted into the exchange program, and I leave at the beginning of August. I’ll come back to graduate next May, but other than that, I’ll be there. I promise I’ll email you often.

\-----

_ What’s going to happen to you and Jenny? I’m guessing she’s not going with you. And I’m going to miss you, but having you on the other side of the ocean won’t be that much different than now. We don’t see each other often, never talk on the phone, and rarely email. I probably sound like a cranky girlfriend, but I just miss you. _ Te iubesc _ , Seb. I said forever and I meant forever. No matter what, we’ll always be friends. _

\-----

Jenny and I broke up. We weren’t going to last anyway. It was fun, but we weren’t in love and with me going to London in a few months, we thought it would be easier to break up sooner rather than later. And don’t worry about sounding like a cranky girlfriend. You deserve to be upset. We spent the better part of six years seeing each other almost every day, and we went to school four hours apart. God, I hate the fact that we don’t spend more time together. I wish I could break away from school, but with working part-time, doing plays at school, and trying to pass my classes I just don’t have time. After we graduate, we’ll take a couple of weeks off and spend the entire time together. Maybe we can take a trip to Romania or something. See the umbrella alley, then you can get your picture there like you've been dreaming about for years. _ Te iubesc _, Lizzie.

\-----

_ I’m sorry to hear that. You guys were good together. I’m going to miss you like crazy, but this will be a good experience for you. A couple of weeks in Romania sounds perfect. You know I’ve always wanted to see the umbrellas. You better take a picture with me. I need something to prove that I knew you before you got famous. _

August 2004 

_ Happy birthday, Seb! I finally turned 21!! Ollie took me out for drinks, got me pretty plastered. I wish you could have been here. I miss you like crazy. It’s not fun spending my birthdays without you. I even miss your mother’s chocolate Nutella cake. She did invite me over for some, but it’s not the same without you. I hope you’re having fun in England. _Te iubesc.

October 2004 

_ I miss you. Haven’t heard from you in a while, hope everything is going okay. If it weren’t for _ Naşă _ I would think you had died. She says that you call once a week to check in. Please, just email me so I know that everything is going okay. _Te iubesc.

January 2005 

_ What’s going on? Did I do something to piss you off? God, Seb, it’s been months since you last emailed me. Please, just tell me what I did wrong. I don’t understand. Ollie thinks that you were busy last semester which is the only reason I passed my classes. You are my best friend. I told you forever and I meant it, but if you don’t want to be friends anymore, just let me know. I can take it. _

March 2005 

_ I guess this is how it ends. Not with a bang, but with a whimper. Yes, I just quoted TS Elliot. Or at least, bastardized his saying. I’ll just say this one more time because I guess you don’t want to be friends anymore. _ Te iubesc. _ I love you, Sebastian Stan. Fuck, maybe I should just go for broke since you are ignoring me anyway. I can tell you what I’ve been dying to tell you since that kiss you called a mistake on my eighteen birthday. I’m in love with you and have been for years. Damn, I don’t feel any better for typing that, but at least you’ll know the truth now. I fucking miss you so much. Just fucking email me, tell me what happened, why you hate me. I can take it, I just need to know the truth. _

April 2005 

_ Last time I’ll email you. Graduation is next month. _ Naşă _ told me that you have gigs. I’m so proud of you. I never told her that you started ignoring me, although I’m pretty sure she knows something is wrong, especially since I told her I wouldn’t be attending your graduation. I still don’t know what I did to make you hate me, but whatever it is, I’m sorry. God, I’m so sorry. Please forgive me and be my friend again. I don’t know if I’ll survive without you. You’ve been my rock for so many years, the only person I ever fully trusted. Well, if this is how it ends, I guess we had a good ride. _ Te iubesc _ , Seb. Forever and always. When I promised that, I meant it. Even in ten years, if we still aren’t speaking, I will still love you. You are my best friend, even if I’m not yours. _


	12. I Miss You

2008 

Taking a sip of red wine, Elizabeth glanced around the gallery nervously, still shocked that they wanted to show her work. So many of her favorite pieces were featured, large and prominent. There were other artists on display as well, but tonight was  primarily about her, not them. Her pieces were the first ones people saw as they came in, debuting her to the world. This was everything she ever wanted, it just… it hadn’t felt like the right time. It had taken weeks for the gallery owner to convince her to show her work, but she was glad he had worn her down.

She had spent so much time on her appearance for the night, trying to look both professional and sexy, knowing that her looks would help sell more of her photos. It was unfortunate that she felt the need to do so, but if selling herself helped people get in the mood to buy her art, she would do it. Wearing a tight black dress that ended above her knees, curly hair loose as it fell down her back, she felt as if she had succeeded. Thank God for Olive or she would still be wearing her hair in the headache-inducing buns she had for so many years.

Each piece on display was for sale with the exception of one - a picture of Sebastian standing with his back to the camera so you couldn’t tell it was him. She had taken it their senior year of high school. They had sneaked onto a rooftop to watch the New Year’s Eve fireworks and he had been standing near the edge of the building. When the fireworks started, she had captured a picture of him watching them. All you could see of him was a dark outline, but she knew who it was and couldn’t bear to let anyone take it. Even though she could always print more copies, the thought of someone else having it their home made her heart ache. That photo reminded her of the good times, the way he was with her before college. Sharing that would be like giving away a piece of her soul.

“Elizabeth, my favorite artist,” a deep voice boomed from her left.

She turned, seeing the owner of the gallery. Nick Anderson stood several inches shorter than her, round and balding. If it hadn’t been for his offer to give her seventy percent of the profits from each sale, she never would have let him show her work; he was a terrible letch. “Nick, thanks for talking me into this. This is more than I could have hoped for.”

“Sweetheart, thanks are not necessary. I’m going to make a killing off of you as long as you keep producing stuff like this.” He pointed at the Sebastian picture. “I’ve already had ten offers on that one alone, all of increasing value. Are you sure you don’t want to…”

“No.” Her voice came out sharper than she intended. Deliberately softening her voice, she tried another tactic. “Not that one, Nick. If the show does well, I have others at home, but that one has sentimental value. I’m only showing it because you insisted. You said that it would bring more people in, get them interested in my work.”

“Well, fine.” He pouted, crossing his arms over his chest. “I’m going to mingle, I suggest you do the same. People will be more willing to buy your work if they get to talk to the artist.”

When he disappeared, Elizabeth let out a relieved sigh. She didn’t dislike Nick, but she didn’t like him either. The way his eyes roved over her body when he thought she couldn’t see made her skin crawl. But his help is what got her the show, so she plastered a smile on her face and started working the crowd. As she talked to person after person, she couldn’t help but wonder what had happened to her best friend. It had been nearly four years since the last time she spoke to Sebastian. He had gone to London during his last year of college and they had drifted apart. Everything about the end of their friendship confused her, but she still missed him every day.

When she started to get tired of talking, she wandered over to the bar to grab another glass of red wine. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a guy with dark hair laughing, his arm around a beautiful brunette. Turning  fully , she  studied the couple. He looked so familiar, but she couldn’t place him, at least not from the back. But when he turned and she saw his side profile, the glass fell out of her hand, crashing to the floor.

It couldn’t be him. She hadn’t told Georgeta or Anthony about her show, and the last she had heard Sebastian was filming  _ Gossip Girl _ . A waiter came up to her, asking her questions that she didn’t hear. The only thing on her mind was him. There was nothing she would have  loved more than for him to be there. But it had been too long, too many years to try and figure out how to be friends again.  Hadn't it?

But when the man turned toward her and she saw blue eyes from across the room, it didn’t matter if it was Sebastian or not, all of her old feelings came rushing back. The crush she had hidden for so many years, the desires that came with those feelings, being madly in love with him. Backing up, she stopped only to get her purse before hurrying out of the building  and hailing a cab.

As she gave the driver the address of where she wanted to go ,  tears started pouring down her face. So certain that she had gotten over Sebastian years ago, she hadn’t expected to feel like her heart was breaking all over again  at even the thought of seeing him . The only reason she had realized that she was in love with him was because of that kiss their last birthday together. She had spent the better part of the last eight years trying to get over him, then the last few months thinking that she finally had. Several magazines had her on their freelance call list, and over the past year, she had gotten so busy that the only thing she’d had time to think about was work. With thoughts of Sebastian all but gone, she assumed that meant she was over him. How could she have been so wrong?

Once she had gotten so busy that thoughts of him disappeared, she assumed that meant she was over him. She should have realized nothing was ever that easy.

After a long drive, the cab pulled up to the house she had grown up visiting. She paid and gave a generous tip, then climbed out and headed toward the front door. The bell hadn’t even finished chiming when Georgeta opened the door, her forehead creasing in concern  when she saw Elizabeth's emotional state . “Sweetheart, what’s wrong?”

Elizabeth tried to be strong, but it didn’t last. Falling into Georgeta’s arms, she started sobbing even harder. Georgeta ran a hand down her hair, murmuring soft words in Romanian, trying to  soothe her . But she couldn’t stop crying. Seeing that man had ripped the lock off the feelings she had buried deep, reminding her of what she could never have.

“ _ Dulce fată _ , what happened?” Georgeta was worried, she had never seen Elizabeth this upset before. “Tell me, honey, what’s wrong?”

“I… I miss him,” she sobbed, her voice quavering with tears.

“Come here.” Georgeta led her inside to the couch, sitting down and pulling her into an embrace. “What do you mean?”

“It’s been so long.” Elizabeth struggled to stop  the tears, but at least her voice wasn’t wavering anymore. She rubbed her eyes, wiping the tears from her cheeks. “I miss Seb. God, I miss him so much.” Her voice broke as she sobbed again, placing her face into Georgeta’s shoulder.

“I thought you guys…”

It took her a few minutes, but she managed to calm enough to sit up straight. “We haven’t talked since before he went to London.”

“But that was…”

“Four years ago, I know.” Elizabeth stared at her hands, trying to figure out what to say. “My first show was tonight. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you, but I… I wasn’t sure if I should reach out. I know I’ve been absent for a few years, but that was because…”

“You missed him.” Georgeta grabbed her hand. She couldn’t tell her that she had known about the show because Angela told her. As much as she would have loved to go, long trips into the city had become nearly impossible lately. Anthony had been feeling ill, so a lot of their time was spent going to the doctor. “Why are you here now?”

A fresh wave of tears ran down her face. “There was someone at my show. He looked so much like Seb, it just…” She dropped face into her hands, muffling her voice. “He was with someone, but all I could think of was how much I missed Seb. How much I wished that I had told him the truth.”

“The truth?”

“That I… That I…” She couldn’t speak the words, never having admitted the truth out loud before.

“That you… love him?” Georgeta guessed. Over the years of their friendship, she had watched them grow closer and closer, never understanding why they couldn’t take the next step. So many times, she had wanted to intervene, but Anthony had stopped her, saying it wasn’t her place to interfere. Of course, he was right, but that didn’t lessen her feelings of guilt. “Why didn’t you ever tell him?”

“Because I’m not in love with him,” Elizabeth denied, lying straight to her  _ naşă _ ’s face. “I’m not. It’s just a stupid crush that I’ve had since I was a kid, that’s all.”

“Sweetie…”

“I don’t love him.” She took a deep breath, trying to keep her voice even. “I don’t. .. I can’t.” But the more she repeated the words, the  more hollow they felt. She couldn’t take lying anymore,  to herself or Georgeta . “Oh, God. I love him.”

“Elizabeth…”

She stood up and started pacing, the tears drying instantly. “I love him. That’s the first time I’ve admitted it out loud.”

“I think…”

“What do I do,  _ Naşă _ ? I haven’t spoken to him in four years, I can’t still be in love with him.”

Georgeta stood and grabbed her arms, stopping her pacing. “Elizabeth, why don’t you call him? Sebastian would love to hear from you.”

“But…”

“It’s never too late,  _ dulce fată _ . Even though he’s dating…” She stopped herself, realizing what she had been about to say. “Just call him.”

“He’s dating someone?” Elizabeth’s heart sank, realizing that it was definitely too late for her to tell him how she felt. The tears returned, blurring her vision. “I should go.”

“Nonsense, I’m not letting you leave while you’re upset.” Georgeta pushed her toward the stairs. “Go to Sebastian’s room, stay the night. Everything will look better in the morning.”

As she went upstairs, Georgeta left to go find her husband. She found him in the study, reading a book. “Anthony, darling, I need your help.”

He closed the book, raising an eyebrow at his wife. “Yes, my love?”

“Elizabeth is here.”

“Sebastian’s Lizzie?” She nodded and he grinned. “Where is she? I haven’t seen her in…”

“Years, I know.” Georgeta sat down in the chair next to him, elbow on the arm as she rested her chin on the heel of her hand. “She’s upset. Some kid at her gallery show looked like Sebby, and she just admitted that she’s in love with him.”

“Took her long enough.”

“I know, I know.” She sighed. “The poor girl is upstairs crying her eyes out. I was hoping that you had an idea of how to fix this.”

Anthony sighed as well. His wife was well-meaning, but he didn’t want to meddle in his son’s affairs. But still, Elizabeth was like a daughter to them and he wanted her to be happy. “Fine. I’ve got an idea.” He shook his finger at her. “But I’m not playing middleman again, I’m getting too damn old for this. For that matter, so is Sebastian.”

“ _ Te iubesc, dragul meu _ .”

“Yeah, I know.  _ Și eu te iubesc, draga mea. _ ”

\--------------------

“Sebby, why are we here?” Leighton stomped her foot in anger. When he had promised her a night out on the town, this wasn’t what she expected. “You said there would be music and dancing. You promised me fun.”

“Lei gh ,” Sebastian cajoled,  gently gripping her chin with his hand. He smiled, trying to figure out how to convince her that this was fun. “I just want to find Lizzie, then we can go. This is her debut.” He held a hand out, pointing at one of the  photos . “This is her picture, isn’t it beautiful?”

“Sebby, I want to go dancing. You promised.” She pouted more, sticking out her lower lip. “I don’t want to do this.”

“Just a little while longer, then I promise we’ll leave.” He pushed her toward the bar. “Go get a drink. I’ll join you in a minute.” As she left, he walked up to a portly man in a black suit. “Excuse me, are you Nick Anderson?”

“Why yes, I am.” Nick gave him a predatory smile. The young man in front of him looked like he could afford a photo or two. “How can I help you?”

“Do you know Elizabeth Gray? I’ve been looking for her all night, but I can’t find her anywhere.” Sebastian tried his best to keep his voice even, not wanting to betray how excited he was to see his friend after so long. He tried appealing to this man’s obvious greed. “I want to purchase a piece of hers, but I want to speak with her first.”

Nick sighed. “Unfortunately, she already left for the night. She had… another engagement.”

“ Oh. That’s too bad.” He couldn’t hide his disappointment. “Well, thanks for taking the time to talk with me.”

As he walked away, Nick started to say, “Are you sure you don’t want to talk about buying a piece?”

Sebastian neared his girlfriend, who was tapping away at her phone. “Lei gh , we can go. She’s not here anymore.”

“Thank God. Now you can take me to that club everyone has been talking about.”

Sebastian’s phone rang and he held up a finger to silence her while he answered. “Hey, Dad.”

“Sebastian Stan, I am disappointed in you.”

“Dad?” He couldn’t understand why Anthony would be upset with him. He hadn’t done anything wrong, at least not recently. “What’s going on?”

“There is a girl here crying her eyes out over you.”

“Wait, what?”

“Your Lizzie is here, crying because she misses you.” Anthony didn’t like to make his son upset, but sometimes he needed to be pushed into action. “You need to fix this. She was your best friend for years. I don’t care what happened between you two, but I’m tired of being the middleman. Fix this.”

When he hung up  without another word , Sebastian stared at his phone, flabbergasted at what  he'd just been told . His Lizzie was crying because she missed him? It couldn’t be true. Why didn’t she just call him? He looked over at Leighton. “I’m sorry. Can we try this again another night? That was my dad and…”

“Sebby, really? You promised.” She glared at him, angry that he would leave her alone.

Sighing, he tried to decide what to do.  His girlfriend was important to him, b ut in the end, family won out. “I have to go.” He placed a quick kiss on her lips. “Go dancing without me, Lei gh . I’ll take you out again next weekend, and I promise, it will be better than tonight.”

“Fine,” she huffed, storming away from him.

\-------------------

“Do you think it worked?” Georgeta asked her husband, staring at the clock for the hundredth time in the past hour. She was starting to get antsy, wondering how long it would take for Sebastian to get here. “He should have been here by now.”

“ _ Draga mea _ , we don’t  even know where he was.  It could be a little while. But Sebastian will always come for Elizabeth, you and I both know that. The kid has been head over heels for years.” The front door opened and he got up, heading for his study. “Don’t be too hard on him. The boy doesn’t know what he’s doing.”

When Sebastian rushed into the living room,  he was  breathless. “Where is she?” He had spent the entire drive to his  parents'  house stressing about seeing Elizabeth again. Four years. It had been four years since the last time he had talked with her. He still didn’t know what happened, why they fell out of touch, but he knew that he needed her back in his life. 

“Sebby _ , ce s-a întâmplat? De ce v-ați oprit din vorbit? Erați prieteni atât de buni.  _ (Sebby, what happened? Why did you guys stop talking? You guys used to be such good friends.)” Georgeta got off the couch, going  over to her son. He looked so upset, brow furrowed, a frown marring his otherwise youthful face. She reached up, cupping his cheek. “Sebby, honey, I love you, but I’m not very happy with you right now.”

“I know,  _ Mamă _ . You don’t think I’m  not mad at myself?” Sebastian pulled away, roughly running his fingers through his hair. “You don’t think I wish I knew what the fuck happened? You don’t think I wish I knew why we drifted apart? I have no idea what caused us to stop being friends.”

“Language,” she chastised gently.

“Sorry,  _ Mamă _ . I’m just…” He started to pace, trying to contain his growing anxiety. Heart racing, fingers clenching and releasing, over and over ; he could barely breathe.

Georgeta  recognized the impending panic attack and pulled her son into a tight hug, holding him and rubbing his back  in soothing circles . “It’s okay. Shh, it’s okay. She’s upstairs, in your old bedroom. It’s never too late, honey.”

“ _ Mamă _ , what do I do?”

“You go upstairs, wake her up, and you guys talk.” She pulled back, cupping his face with her hands, brushing away the tears that fell down his cheeks. “Sweetheart, I know you’re happy with Leighton, but have you ever considered…” She  made herself cut off the question. It wasn’t fair of her to force the kids together, even if they were perfect for one another.  Instead, she waved her son away.  “Go. Talk to her. Figure it out and become friends again.”

Sebastian wiped his eyes with the back of his hand, taking several deep breaths to compose himself. “Thanks,  _ Mamă _ .  _ Te iubesc _ .”

“I love you too, Sebby.”

He climbed the staircase slowly, trying to make sure he was calm before entering his old bedroom. When he pushed open the door, he saw her lying on her side, curled up under his old Batman comforter. Man, he loved that blanket, not letting his mother get rid of it when he started high school even though Lizzie had given him so much shit for it over the years.

But when he noticed her hair, spread over her like a cloak, his breath caught in his throat. Holy Jesus, he had never seen it like that before. It was long, so long, and  so curly. He wanted to bury his hands in it while he kissed her , wrap the strands around his fists and tug, exposing her throat to his lips... Sebastian shook his head  abruptly . Where the fuck had that come from? He hadn’t thought of her like that in years, not since their birthday before going off to college when he had fucked everything up. That was the beginning of the end,  he realized,  the moment they had started drifting apart.

Crouching down next to the bed, he trailed a finger down her face. “Lizzie,” he murmured. “ _ Iubita _ , God, I’m so sorry.”

Elizabeth’s eyes fluttered open and she couldn’t believe what she was seeing. Sebastian was in front of her, eyes rimmed red, looking like he was about to cry. “Seb?” She reached out, brushing the hair off his brow. “What are you doing here?”

Holding her hand in his, he pressed his forehead to it, letting the tears fall that he had been trying so desperately to stop. He missed her so much, it hurt to even think about the years they had spent apart. Why hadn’t he tried harder to keep in touch?  During c ollege, they didn’t see each other except for a couple of times.  Whenever they tried to make time for one another, something came up. Eventually, they had drifted apart, talking less and less  until they no longer communicated at all . He still thought about her from time to time. But it took seeing her again to realize how much he  truly missed her.

“Oh, Seb.” Elizabeth scooted backward on the bed and  tugged on  his hand, trying to get him to  join her. When he did, she wrapped her arms around him, holding him close as he cried, body shaking with the force of his tears. She didn’t even feel her own pain anymore, just his. “ _ Dulce băiat  _ (sweet boy), it’s okay. Shh.”

“I’m so sorry, Lizzie,” he gasped between sobs. “I never meant to hurt you. God, I’ve missed you  so much .”

Holding him tighter, she  pressed his head to her shoulder and rubbed his back, murmuring nonsensical words in his ear. She couldn’t even be  angry at him for hurting her. That was  always the problem, she could never stay mad at him. 

It took him several minutes to calm down, but once he did, she knew what she had to ask him. Elizabeth pulled back and lifted both hands, wiping the tear tracks from his face. “Seb,  _ te iubesc _ , always and forever. I told you that before and I meant it.”

“Lizzie,” he whispered, but she put a finger over his lips to stop anything else.

“Look, I’m not angry, not anymore. I’ve just missed you. But I need to know one thing.” She pulled back her hand and brushed her hair out of her face, tucking the curls behind her ear. “Why did you never respond to my emails while you were in London? I sent you so many. Did I do something to piss you off?”

“What do you mean?” Sebastian asked in confusion. His brow furrowed as he tried to figure out what she was talking about. “I never got any emails.”

“I sent you multiple emails, Seb. I can’t believe that you didn’t…”

“That fucking bitch,” he spat  as he realized what must have happened . Swiping a hand over his face, he tried to contain his aggravation. “I dated a girl in London, she came on strong when I first got there, but she was cute so I went out with her. We dated the entire time I was there, at least until I realized that she was deleting my call history and text messages from women who weren’t her. We broke up a couple of weeks before I came back to the US.”

“But, you never emailed me. Why didn’t you try to contact me when you didn’t hear from me?” She was trying not to be upset, but it was hard. At least she finally knew why he didn’t respond to her emails  though .  Of course, it meant  he didn’t know she was in love with him,  which she should be grateful for, but that still didn’t explain why he never tried to email her.

“God, Lizzie, I fucked up.” Sebastian fell back onto the bed, staring at the ceiling. It was easier to do that than to look into her eyes and see the pain he had caused. “I was busy, and when I never heard anything, I thought you were mad at me for something.  _ Mamă  _ told me that you were good, so I just assumed you didn’t want to be my friend anymore.”

Elizabeth laughed, the sound bitter. She couldn’t believe they had both reacted the same way, and so poorly.  Curling up  next to him, she laid her head on his shoulder, wrapping an arm around his waist. “Seb, both of us fucked up. Either one of us could have picked up the phone  and called the other. Eventually, I would have gotten you, even if your crazy ex kept deleting your call history. Or, you could have called me. Instead, we got stuck in a spiral of assumption.” Snuggling closer, she sighed. “We need to promise each other something because I can’t live with losing you again.”

“Anything,” he pledged , trailing his fingers over her back.

“If something like this ever happens again, we need to work hard to figure it out. We were both busy with school and we were young. But , Seb, we’re too old for that shit now.” Closing her eyes, she let her hand drift over his chest, pretending for a moment that the last four years hadn’t happened. To be honest, laying with him like this felt comfortable, just as it had when they were teenagers. “I promise, I will hunt you down to the ends of the Earth unless you specifically tell me you don’t want to be friends. I’m not letting you get away again without a fight.”

“ _ Îmi pare rău. _ ” Sebastian pulled her closer, her  scent surrounding him the only thing keeping him from breaking down. “God, Lizzie, I’m so sorry.”

Pushing herself up  onto her elbow , she  gazed down at him. God, he took her breath away. More than anything, she wanted to lean down, kiss him, tell him that she loved him. But  just like  when he was with Amber, she didn’t want to ruin whatever relationship Sebastian was currently in. But she did reach up and run her fingers down the side of his face , indulging herself that much . “Sebastian Stan, do you know how upset I was? I cried for months, thinking you hated me.” She laid her hand over his mouth when he opened it. “Let me finish. I cried, trying to figure out what I had done wrong, why you didn’t want to be my friend anymore. But, I am not  angry with you anymore. Fuck, Seb, I should have realized something was wrong. I should have asked  _ Naşă  _ if you were upset  with me . I should have done  something . Anything. But I just let it happen. God, Seb, I should be the one who’s saying they're sorry.”

He  slid her hand off his face. “Lizzie…” He sat up and pulled her into his arms, sinking one hand into her hair and  rubbing her back with his other. “Can we just pretend that the past few years never happened?”

“I don’t think we can,” she mumbled against him. “So many things changed because we drifted apart. Part of why I had my gallery opening is because of losing you.”

“What do you mean?”

Easing back, she sighed. “Can we talk about this later? It’s late and I should go home.”

“Lizzie…”

She stood and started walking toward the door, stopping with her hand on the doorknob. Leaning her head against the door, tears started falling down her cheeks as she cried silently. So many feelings ran through her. Relief at having found out why he never responded, sadness at  realizing he still didn’t know how she felt about him, happiness at having him back in her life, and anger at herself for not trying harder to get in contact with him.

Strong arms wrapped around her waist from behind and Sebastian pressed his face into the crook of her neck. “Stay. It’s late. I’ll take the couch and we can talk in the morning.”

She laid her hands over his, leaning back against him. God, she wanted to tell him, more than anything else, but the words were caught in her throat. As they stood there,  pressed together like two lovers, she  knew what she wanted but wasn’t sure if she should suggest it or not. What the hell, if she couldn’t tell him the truth, maybe she could at least spend one night closer to him.

Straightening , she turned and  gazed up into his eyes. “Stay with me.”

“I don’t think…” he stammered. “That’s not a good idea.”  _ Because I can't afford to admit that I want to spend every night by your side. _

“Stay with me. If I wake up in your bed without you near, I’m afraid I’ll think I dreamed all this.” She smiled softly. “Please, stay.”

“Are you sure?”

She  grasped his hand and  guided him to the bed, pulled back the comforter and climbed in, moving close to the wall so he would have room to lie down. Tapping the bed next to her, she repeated, “Stay with me.”

He kicked off his shoes and laid down, pulling the blanket over them both. “I missed you, Lizzie.”

“I missed you too, Seb.” Yawning, she curled onto her side against him, head on his shoulder, and shut her eyes. Wrapping her arm around his waist, she sighed as he rubbed her back. “ _ Te iubesc _ .”

“ _ Și eu te iubesc _ .”


	13. Friends For Life

2008

Sebastian stirred, momentarily forgetting where he was for a second. Then he noticed the curly brown hair tickling his nose and the luscious bottom pressing against his morning erection. God, his Lizzie had stayed with him last night, he remembered. How many times had he dreamed about having her like this? In his arms, sleeping underneath his old Batman comforter... He pulled her closer, a guttural groan escaping his lips as he grew harder against her. God, if she woke up, what would she think?

Fuck, what was he doing? Scooting away, he rolled to his other side, putting his back to her. He tried to think of anything other than the woman behind him in her tiny black dress, desperately trying to get his hard-on to subside as guilt washed over him. He had just gotten his best friend back, and here he was molesting her in her sleep. Well, molesting was a harsh word, but he was definitely pushing the boundaries of friendship yet again. All that did was make him the asshole who didn’t learn his lesson after the first time before college.

Not to mention Leighton. Fuck, Leighton, he had forgotten all about her. He picked up his phone from the nightstand, letting out a relieved sigh when all he had was one missed text message that had a picture of her out dancing. They had been dating for a few months and she was a lot of fun. He didn’t want to hurt her by doing something stupid like sleep with another woman. Not that Elizabeth would sleep with him. If he tried, she would probably look at him slack-jawed, trying to figure out whether to slap him or laugh. But it was all he could think about. Turning her onto her back, pushing her tight dress over her hips, sinking his aching cock into her tight warm pussy...

Fuck, he needed a cold shower. Instead of making himself less horny, his hard-on had only gotten more prominent. If she woke up, she wouldn’t be able to mistake it for anything else. Climbing out of the bed as carefully as he could, he tiptoed to the attached bathroom.

“Seb?” Elizabeth groaned.

He didn’t turn around. “Yeah, Lizzie, I’m still here.”

“What’re you doin’?” Her voice was gravelly with sleep, sounding huskier than usual.

Fuck, just the sound of her voice and he felt himself getting impossibly harder. Stifling a groan, he managed to sound calm as he said, “I’m just gonna take a quick shower. Go back to sleep.”

“M’kay,” she mumbled as her breathing evened out.

He shut the door and turned on the shower. Stripping off his clothes, he stepped under the icy spray, willing it to lessen his erection. Placing a hand on the wall, he leaned forward under the cascade of water, trying to trick his brain into thinking of anything but his Lizzie. Though it took longer than he would have liked, he finally managed to calm his over-eager body.

Once he had a towel wrapped around his waist, he went back out into the bedroom, sighing in relief when he saw she was still asleep. If she had looked at him, those beautiful hazel eyes flitting over his body, he was afraid he'd do something they’d both regret. Quickly, he dug through his drawers for the clothes he kept at his parents' house for when he visited, grabbing jeans and an old shirt. When he noticed Elizabeth stirring, he ducked into the bathroom to get dressed.

Sitting up slowly, Elizabeth rubbed her eyes, grimacing when she saw the mascara and eyeshadow staining her fingers. She didn’t normally wear makeup, hating the time and effort it took to put on, and she definitely never went to bed without washing her face when she did wear any. But last night, all she’d wanted to do was to curl up against Sebastian, the thought of basic hygiene flying out of her mind the second he’d wrapped his arms around her.

She swung her legs over the bed and just sat there, trying to wake up. When Sebastian came out of the bathroom dressed, his hair glistening with water from the shower, her mouth went dry. The shirt he wore was at least two sizes too small, one she recognized from high school. Even though he was still slender, sometime in the past eight years he’d filled out, become more muscular. Not much, but just enough to make her want to rip the too-tight clothes from his body.

“Let’s go get some coffee,” Sebastian suggested, picking up her shoes and purse from off the floor and handing them to her. “We should talk about… everything.”

Standing, Elizabeth slid on the heels and smiled, genuinely happy for the first time in longer than she cared to remember. “Can we swing by my place first? I’d like to get out of this get-up,” she said, waving at the form-fitting black dress. “Not to mention, I desperately need to clean off my makeup from last night.”

Sebastian let his gaze travel down her body but didn’t linger, not wanting her to see how her body made him feel. “You can stay in that if you want, we’re just getting coffee.” When he noticed the slight blackening around her eyes from the mascara, he added, “I’m sure there’s some face wash around here somewhere.”

Laughing, she opened the door to the bedroom and started walking toward the smell of coffee. “I think I would be happier in jeans.” Walking into the kitchen, she saw both Anthony and Georgeta sitting at the breakfast table, drinking coffee as they read the paper. Flushing with guilt, she walked over to the table and hugged Georgeta first. “I’m sorry, _ Naşă, _I should have come over to see you guys even though Seb and I weren’t talking.”

“Oh, _ dulce fată, _don’t worry about us. We understand.” Georgeta patted her arm, smiling at Elizabeth and her son. They had spent the night sleeping together, and all she could think of was that they had finally confessed to one another how they felt. “And are you guys…” Her voice trailed off, not finishing the question she so desperately wanted to ask.

Elizabeth shook her head, knowing what Georgeta was hinting at. “Seb and I are going to go out and get coffee, talk about stuff.” Walking over to Anthony, she hugged him as well. When she pulled back, tears threatened to spill, but she swallowed hard, not wanting to break down in front of her second family. “I really am sorry. I should have…”

Sebastian went up to her, wrapping an arm around her waist and pulling her toward the front door. “Sorry, Dad, _ Mamă, _but I have plans for Lizzie today.” When she playfully slapped at the hand on her hip, he chuckled. “They forgive you, Lizzie. You’re the daughter they never had. Now come on, the day’s almost half over and I want to spend it all with you.”

\--------------------

Pushing open the door to her apartment, Elizabeth gestured inside. “Well, this is it.” As Sebastian looked around, mouth open in shock, she added, “The apartment manager gave me a great deal on rent because I gave him one of my pictures. He made me sign it, saying I would be famous one day and he could sell it and retire. All the freelance work I do is what helps me afford it, even if I do have to cut down on my eating out budget sometimes.”

Sebastian couldn’t stop looking around. The apartment wasn’t that big, maybe six hundred square feet, but it was gorgeous. The main floor had a door off to the side near the entrance, most likely for the bathroom, and a tiny kitchen next to it, with hardwood floors throughout. Other than a tiny dining room table with two chairs and a small desk with a computer, there was no other furniture. Just a large window taking up most of the wall opposite the door and one of those roll-down backdrop things against one of the side walls that he assumed she used as a studio for work. The thing he couldn’t get over was the raised loft where her bed sat. It was about half the size of the main floor, a black railing on the end to stop anyone from accidentally falling off. A black metal spiral staircase led up to it, with more stairs leading up to another space above it.

“Holy hell, Lizzie! This is… damn.” He looked over at her, suddenly feeling shy about being in her personal space. This was the first time he’d been in a place that was all hers, showing off every aspect of her personality. “I love it.”

Elizabeth went into the kitchen and opened her junk drawer, pulling out a key. Grabbing Sebastian’s hand, she pressed it against his palm, curling his fingers over it. “This is to the apartment. Come over whenever you want, and I mean whenever. Day or night. If you need a place to crash, want to get away from your life for a while, or just want to spend time with me… come over. You’re always welcome.” Before she did something stupid like kissing him, she started up the stairs to get some clothes. Returning with jeans and a t-shirt, she gave him a stern look. “Seriously, Seb. Come over whenever you want. I may not have a couch, but I have a king-sized bed that’s more than big enough for two. If you need it, _ casa mea este casa ta _ (my house is your house).”

\--------------------

Elizabeth stared down at the coffee mug in her hands, studying the golden brown liquid inside. There hadn’t been much time for talking yet, not about what needed to be discussed. The wounds were still tender, so she started with something relatively benign. “I missed you, Seb.”

Sebastian hadn’t touched his drink, leaving it neglected on the table. His stomach had been in knots ever since morning, stressing over spending time with his Lizzie again. It had been four years since they'd talked, eight since high school, but it almost felt as if no time had passed. “God, Lizzie, I missed you too.” He groaned, running a hand through his hair. “I know you won’t say it, but I fucked up.”

“Seb…”

“No, let me finish.” To give himself a moment to think, he raised the cup to his lips, but when the knot in his stomach tightened, he sighed, putting it back on the table. “Why does it always seem like the women in my life hurt you? First, there was Amber, who was just a grade-A bitch, which we can both agree on. Then Simone, who deleted your emails. Is my taste in women really that bad?”

Setting down her drink, she stood and slid in next to him on the other side of the booth. Taking hold of his hand, she pulled it onto her lap, using both of her own to hold on tight as she rubbed her thumbs on his skin. “Not all of them. Don’t forget about Jenny, I liked her.” Resting her head on his shoulder, she sighed, “I don’t think it’s that you have bad taste in women. I think it’s our… or rather, it was our relationship. We’re closer than most friends usually are… and I’m female. Sometimes women have a hard time believing that men and women can be just friends without sex getting in the way.”

“That’s the problem, I don’t want to be with a woman who has a problem with our friendship.” He turned, pressing a kiss against her hair. It wasn’t all he wanted to do, but he couldn’t let himself do more. “I’m sorry that I never tried to contact you. There isn’t a single excuse that will make up for the fact that I hurt you.”

“You don’t need to…”

“Yes, I do.” Pulling his hand from hers, he sat her up, turning so he could look into her eyes. “I know we both made mistakes, but mine was worse. You sent me emails. I may not have received them, but you tried. When I didn’t hear from you…” He sighed, shaking his head. Tucking a lock of hair behind her ear, his gaze dropped briefly to her lips. Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, he raised his eyes back to hers. “I assumed the worst. What good is having me as a friend if I didn’t even try to figure out why I never heard from you?”

Lifting a hand to his face, she caressed the scruff on his cheek. With her other hand, she laid it over his mouth; it was that or kiss him. As much as the second option would have made her happy, she wasn’t willing to hurt him by ruining his current relationship. “I forgive you. Can you forgive me for not trying harder?”

His gaze dropped to her hand, then back up and she moved it. Laying a hand over the one still on his cheek, he closed his eyes briefly, getting lost in the touch. When he opened them, he could see the tears threatening to spill in her eyes. “There’s nothing to…” When Elizabeth glared, he tried again. “Yes, I could forgive anything, Lizzie. _ Te iubesc. _ You are my best friend, always have been, always will be. I promise I will never let another woman come between us. Remember what I said to Amber?”

“That you would always choose me,” she whispered. 

“And I will. Over and over again, I will choose you. Do you know why?” He pulled her hand from his cheek, bringing it to his heart. “Because I would rather never have love than lose you as my best friend. You mean more to me than any woman ever will.”

At his words, her heart beat faster. It almost sounded as if he… but no, it wasn’t possible. If he felt that way, surely he would tell her. Wouldn’t he? But it wasn’t as if she told him how she felt. The words were on the tip of her tongue, everything she had wanted to tell him since the summer before college. But when she opened her mouth, what came out instead was, “I don’t want you to give up love for me.”

“Sweetheart…” His forehead dropped to press against hers and he stayed like that for several moments before taking a deep breath and straightening back up. “I’m not giving up love for you. All I’m trying to say is that I won’t let another woman dictate to me whether I can, or cannot, have you in my life. If she doesn’t like you being important to me, then she isn’t the one.” Their eyes met and his breath hitched. God, she was so beautiful. It took every ounce of willpower he possessed not to tell her that he wanted to be with her. None of his previous relationships had lasted, but if he lost Elizabeth again it would devastate him. And confessing his feelings was a sure way to lose her. So he pulled away, settling into the corner of the booth next to the wall and picking up his now cold coffee before taking a sip. “Now, what was this about me being the reason for your gallery opening?”

Though she knew he was changing the subject to deflect from something, she let him. Looking down at her hands, she groaned, “God, it’s a long story.”

“I’ve got all the time in the world for you.”

Her eyes snapped up, but he had his eyes closed. Did he know what those words did to her? How much she had missed him? Sighing, she looked anywhere but him. “After college, Cosmo hired me to work for them… as a photographer's assistant. All those years as an intern fetching coffee and making copies were good for something.” Sebastian chuckled and she finally looked at him, giving him a happy smile. “Yeah, yeah… laugh it up, at least doing that got me noticed enough to get a job. After a year, the photographer called out sick and I was the only one available on such short notice. It was for a big spread that was already late, so my boss asked me to do it, knowing that I’d gone to school for photography. It went so well that they promoted me to principal photographer.”

“Really?!”

“Yeah, really. It was awesome, but all I wanted to do was call my best friend and tell him.”

“Lizzie…” Putting down his coffee cup, he clutched her hands in his, soothing his thumbs on her knuckles. “God, I’m sorry.”

“Stop… I’m not telling you this to make you feel bad.” Flipping their hands, she interlaced his fingers with hers. “Besides, there are worse things than missing your friend. I would know.”

“What do you mean?”

Sighing, she shook her head. “Not now. Maybe one day… but not now.” Staring down at their hands, she continued, “So, I spent another year as the main photographer for Cosmo, then other magazines started to see my work and started calling, offering me insane amounts of money to switch to them. But I loved my job and I didn’t want to leave. It took six months of all the major publications in New York calling me before I put in my notice and started freelancing. I got so busy, there was no time for anything else. Then about three months ago, I had a job at Cosmo, followed by an interview for a private shoot, so I had my portfolio with me. My old boss saw the folder and started looking through it. I took it away from her as fast as I could, but she stole one of the pictures from it without me realizing, then invited me over for dinner. The gallery owner, Nick…”

“Oh, I met him last night,” he interrupted.

“You were there?!” Her eyes snapped up to his, mouth agape. She thought back to the brown-haired guy she had noticed. “Wait, you weren’t with a beautiful brunette in a blue dress, were you?”

“Yeah…” He looked away but kept their hands together. She was his strength, the thing that kept him grounded. How had he survived the last several years without her? “Her name is Leighton, we’ve been dating for about six months. You’ll probably hate her.”

“Why would you say that?”

“She’s fun and speaks her mind… but, she can also be a bit of a bitch.”

“Maybe I should just meet her, decide for myself.”

Sebastian shook his head, chuckling. “Maybe.”

“Now, let me finish the story.” He pulled back one of his hands, miming zipping his lips shut and making Elizabeth laugh. “Nick was there when I arrived, holding a picture in his hands. Do you remember when we snuck on top of that apartment building senior year for New Year's?” After he nodded, she continued, “I took that picture of you with the fireworks in the background. That’s what he was holding. That’s why I had my debut, because of that picture. He fell in love with it even though I refused to sell it. But it's taken him since then to convince me to let him display my work. I just... I couldn’t imagine doing it without you.”

“Lizzie…”

“He kept offering me a larger and larger percentage of the profits until I couldn’t say no,” she rambled, ignoring the pained look on his face. It wasn’t her intention to make him feel bad, but she couldn’t tell the whole truth without hurting him. Lifting her free hand to his face, she smiled, blinking back the tears that threatened to spill. “But you know what, I’m glad I did because I got you back.”

Sebastian tugged her into his arms, burying his face in the crook of her neck. “I’m…”

“I swear to God, Sebastian Stan, if you say you’re sorry one more time I will punch you.” She pulled back as he chuckled. “I don't want you to feel bad about this. Was I hurt? Yes. Am I still? I don't know, and it doesn't matter. Am I mad? No. I love you, Seb. You're my best friend and always will be. We can't pretend the last four years didn't happen, but we can push past it. We can start fresh."

Sebastian narrowed his eyes, not believing that Elizabeth could so easily move beyond the anguish their separation had caused. He had been hurt too. Not by her, but by not having her in his life. Trying to forget that would be difficult for him, and he didn’t understand how she could be so blasé about it. “Can you do that so easily? Forget the pain and hurt I caused? Just go back to the way we were?”

Anxiety was etched on Sebastian’s face - his brow furrowed, the outside corners of his eyes crinkling as he frowned. Elizabeth reached up with both hands and smoothed out the worry lines, pulling his head down so she could press a kiss to his forehead. _ “Dulce băiat, _in the past eight years, I would have given anything to have this with you again. In the past four years, I spent so many nights missing you. Missing everything we had. Do you really think this is easy for me?” Putting a finger over his lips, she shook her head. “No, just listen. This is anything but easy for me. I thought I had lost you forever, so I tried to move on, but I couldn’t. Now that I have you back, I want us to be what we were. Close friends who overshared with one another, told each other everything. I want to get back together with that boy who blushed when he admitted to losing his virginity at homecoming. I want to have the friend back that taught me how to live my life, how to embrace my weirdness. And as long as you don’t leave me, I’ll be fine. All I need is to have you in my life.”

Grabbing her hand, he lifted it from his mouth. “Okay.”

“Okay?”

“Yeah, okay. Best friends for life, remember? I’m just sorry I forgot.”

Elizabeth balled her hand up and socked him in the arm. When he looked down at his arm, then up at her in shock, she glared playfully. “I told you, stop apologizing.”

“Fine.”

“Fine,” she repeated, grinning.

“Now, move your ass so I can get us new coffees. I’m pretty sure ours have gotten cold, and I don’t know about you, but I need at least one cup of caffeine to be human.” When she did, climbing back to her side of the booth, Sebastian got up and went to the counter to reorder their drinks.

Elizabeth watched at him, a soft expression on her face. While she couldn’t have everything she wanted with him, just having him back in her life was enough for right now. In fact, it was more than she had ever hoped for. As she observed him, a younger girl went up to him, hands shaking with nerves. He turned to her, a big smile on his face. When he took a selfie with her and signed the item she handed him, that’s when Elizabeth knew she would kill to not lose him again. Any man that would look so happy to be interrupted while getting coffee, take the time out to talk to a fan and still be smiling after -- that was a man worth fighting for, romantically or otherwise.

When he returned, it was with two paper cups with lids. He stood next to the table, gesturing his shoulder toward the door. “Come on, I have an idea of what we can do today. It’s the reason I made you bring your camera.”

Elizabeth stood and took her coffee from him. “Alright, where to, maestro?”

“Nope, not telling.” Sebastian chuckled and grabbed her free hand, dragging her out of the shop. “But I promise, you’ll like it.”

Glaring, she planted herself, not heading toward the exit like she knew he wanted. “Nope, not going anywhere unless you tell me. I’ve had enough surprises in the past two days to last a lifetime.”

His heart dropped to his stomach when he realized what she meant. “Fuck, Lizzie, I’m…” he started to say, stopping himself when she teasingly raised a fist and shook it at him. Nervously, he admitted, “I wanna go to the Empire State Building, retake the picture from when we were kids. We barely knew each other back then, and if we’re starting fresh, I want to…”

“Go back to where it began,” she finished. Walking over, she looped her free arm through his and steered him to the door. “I think that’s a great idea, Seb.”

“You do?”

As they walked out onto the sidewalk, she looked up at his hesitant expression and gave him a huge grin. “I do.”


	14. Money Worries

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoy this! Just as a note, there is a slight f/f part to this chapter, but I'm not tagging it because it's not really about Lizzie and the other woman, it's about her and Seb.

2011

“Sebastian, I have some bad news,” his financial manager said to him over the phone, voice somber.

“Fuck,” Sebastian groaned as he stopped on the sidewalk. As if anything could make his life worse after the week he’d already had. “Just tell me, Alex. It can’t be that bad.”

“Umm…” Alex paused when he heard the sounds of city traffic. Having known Sebastian and his family for years, he knew about his anxiety, so the last thing he wanted to do was trigger an attack when he was so obviously in a public space.

“Spit it out.”

So he did. “You’re broke, Sebastian. Flat broke. You’ve got maybe two grand left, then nothing. And you don’t have anything coming in right now. So unless you have a check clearing soon I don’t know about…”

“Fuck.” Sebastian took several deep breaths as his therapist had taught him, trying to control the panic rising to the surface. “What am I supposed to do Alex? My lease is up at the end of the month. I was gonna sign the paperwork for another year, but if I have no money… Shit.”

“I don’t know what to tell you. Sorry.” He sighed, then cleared his throat. “Do you have someone you can stay with? That would save you some money. And you should be getting another check from filming Captain America soon, right?”

Sebastian’s heart slowed a little bit when he remembered the payday he would get in a few months. “Yeah, but not for a bit.” Then he remembered his Lizzie. “I think I’ve got someone that might be willing to deal with my maudlin ass for a few months. And if not, I can move back in with my parents.” He took several calming breaths. “Thanks for letting me know, Alex.”

“Call if you need anything, Sebastian. And I mean anything. You and I… you’re more than my client, you’re my friend.”

\--------------------

Sebastian stood outside of Elizabeth’s door, trying to work up the courage to put the key into the lock. After getting off the phone with his financial manager, he’d thought he was okay. He knew his Lizzie would do whatever it took to help him get back on his feet, and if she couldn’t there were always his parents. But as the day had worn on, the weight of everything had seemed to crash down on him. After spending a few hours shaking at his apartment, doing everything in his power to calm down, he’d wandered down the streets of New York in a daze, unwittingly ending up at her building.

The day prior, he'd found out that his dad had officially been diagnosed with Alzheimer's. It was something they’d been looking into for a few months, but to have the doctors confirm the diagnosis had stressed him out. He hadn't told Elizabeth about it, not wanting to worry her while they were in the process of evaluating Anthony. And of course, he didn’t tell her about how he and Leighton broke up either, not wanting her to be concerned for him.

Over the past several months, they hadn’t spent much time together. He’d been busy filming _ Captain America: The First Avenger, _then life had gotten in the way. She was busy too, working with all the major magazines as a freelance photographer, not to mention her work for the gallery. They’d seen each other on New Year’s Eve, but he wasn’t willing to ruin her good mood with his problems. She’d sold several of her photographs earlier that week, making a decent amount of money, and she’d taken him, her mom, and his parents out to dinner. Pushing everything into the dark recesses of his mind, he’d pretended everything was fine.

But after dealing with that all on his own for so long, he was finding it difficult to keep a level head. He was all but broke, no new jobs on the horizon, days away from being homeless… Hand shaking, he put the key into the lock, trying to stop the tears that threatened to fall. It wasn’t his intention to use Elizabeth to make himself feel better, he never wanted to do that to her. But as he pushed into the dark apartment and heard the sound of her soft breathing coming from her bed in the loft, the tears started coming harder. His own breath came out in short gasps, hands clenching and releasing, over and over. The worst part of having anxiety wasn’t the feeling of helplessness, but feeling like his heart was going to burst out of his chest, pounding so fast it hurt.

Sebastian toed off his shoes by the door, hanging up his jacket on the coat rack. Then he climbed up the spiral staircase, trying his best to slow his breathing. When he saw her there on the king-size bed, curled up on her side with long hair in a French braid down her back, he felt a tiny bit better. Just seeing her was enough to help him regain a bit of his equilibrium. Unfortunately, it didn't completely stop the panic that had risen to the surface. Pulling back the covers, he climbed into the bed as gently as he could so as not to wake her, curled against her with his arm around her waist, and pressed his face against her back, finally giving in to the tears.

Elizabeth slowly roused, the feeling of a body wrapped around her not entirely unfamiliar. While she hadn't been on a date in over a year, she knew that the only other person who had a key to her apartment sometimes liked to come over and stay the night. When she heard soft sobs coming from behind her and felt tears soaking into her nightshirt, her heart broke.

Turning in his arms, she urged his head to her shoulder and ran a soothing hand over his back, murmuring softly in Romanian. As his breathing began to slow, she began combing her other hand through his hair. After so many years of friendship, she knew that gentle physical contact helped him relax. “Shh, it's okay Seb, I'm here. Whatever you need, honey, I'm here for you.”

They remained locked together like that for several minutes, Sebastian trying desperately to calm his racing heart as Elizabeth talked. He could only tell that she spoke, the blood rushing through his ears making it impossible to comprehend her words, but just hearing her voice was enough to soothe him. As he calmed, Elizabeth took both hands and cupped his face, drawing it back from her shoulder. Her thumbs swiped at the tear tracks on his cheeks as she asked softly, “What's wrong, honey?”

“Everything,” he murmured with a sniffle.

"Oh, honey." Her heart ached and it took everything in her power to not break down and cry with him. Pulling him back against her chest, she tightened her arms around him. “Seb, I'm always here for you, whatever you need.”

Sighing, Sebastian drew away from her, laying on his back on the bed as he stared at the ceiling. His tears had dried, the panic all but receded, but he was still feeling anxious about asking for help. “Lizzie,” he groaned, reaching up and rubbing at his aching eyes. “Everything is so fucked up, I don't know what to do.”

Knowing he could use the comfort, Elizabeth curled up against his side, resting her head on his shoulder and draping an arm around his waist. “You can tell me anything, Seb. Remember, best friends forever. Besides, I'm pretty sure that your therapist would say talking about it would help.”

A bitter chuckle escaped his lips, but he tugged her closer against him, the smell of her fruity shampoo doing as much to calm him as her touch did. “You're right, of course.” He took a deep breath. “I should have told you most of this sooner, but... but I didn't want to make you worry.”

“Honey, it's my job to worry about you. That's what friends are for. I'm going to worry about you anyway whether you tell me about the good things or the bad things.” She snuggled more fully into the crook of his arm, feeling bad for enjoying being pressed against his body. But when the tension seemed to release from his shoulders, she let her guilt slip away. “Tell me what's going on, then tell me what you need from me.”

Closing his eyes, Sebastian lay silently at her side, trying to decide how to tell her everything. In the end, he just came out with it. “Leighton and I broke up at the end of November, right after Thanksgiving. That was about the same time my dad started going to the doctor because he’d been forgetting things. The diagnosis came in yesterday, he has Alzheimer's. This morning... Fuck, Lizzie, I don't know what I'm going to do.”

She wanted to cry for everything that he had gone through by himself, but she just tried to be encouraging. “It's okay, we'll figure it out. What happened this morning?”

“I'm broke. I have just enough money to not starve before my next check comes in if I don’t spend money on anything else. Fuck, I hate to do this to you, but... actually…” Sebastian scrubbed his hands over his face, groaning. “Forget I said anything, I'll go talk to my parents and figure something out.”

Elizabeth pushed herself up and eased his palms away from his face. With her left hand, she swept back his hair and smiled down at him. “You're welcome to stay here if you need to. We've shared a bed before, so it's not like we can't do it now. Besides, it'll be fun.”

Sebastian groaned again. “Fun? Really? My next check for Captain America isn't going to come in for a few months. I have to give up my apartment, and I don't have any jobs on the horizon. Do you really want to live with my moody ass for close to six months?”

Throwing the covers off of them, Elizabeth climbed out of bed and went over to her dresser. Digging through the drawers, she pulled out a pair of jeans and a silky halter top. Turning back to the bed, she eyed the clothes that Sebastian was wearing, deciding they were good enough for what she wanted to do. “We're going to go out and get a drink. Tomorrow, we'll go over to your apartment and get all of your shit and bring it over here. We can put whatever furniture and large stuff you have into storage.” Dropping her clothes onto the comforter, she sat down and gazed at her friend, a soft smile on her lips. “You can stay with me as long as you want, you're my best friend and I love you. But right now, we're going to go to the club just down the street to get drunk, then come back here and fall asleep. We can figure everything else out tomorrow.”

“Really, Lizzie?” Sebastian pushed himself into a sitting position, running a hand through his hair. “A club?”

“Yes,” she confirmed with a determined tone. “You need something to take your mind off of things and I've been wanting to go to this club for a while. I just never had a good enough reason to go, and you know how I feel about crowds.”

“Fine,” he relented. He climbed out of the bed and headed down the stairs. “I'll put my shoes on and wait for you, go ahead and get dressed.”

\--------------------

As they neared the club, Elizabeth wrapped herself tighter around Sebastian's warm arm. Deciding not to wear a jacket in the middle of January in New York City was a bad idea, but she knew that once in the club, she would be over-warm. Plus, it gave her an excuse to get closer to him. She still wasn't willing to tell him how she felt, especially with how upset he was earlier and the fact that he didn't feel the same, but at least she could pretend for a little bit that they were more than friends.

Sebastian looked up at the sign for the club, then down at the woman on his arm. “Really, Lizzie? You're taking me to a gay club? I know I've played gay guys on TV, but…”

“I know you're not gay, Seb. This is the closest club to my apartment and I've heard they have good music. We're going to drink and dance and have a good time, forget all about the shit and just try to relax.” She released his arm and took his hand, dragging him over to the bouncer. “Let's have some fun tonight. Okay?”

“Fine,” he groaned.

The bouncer looked them up and down, and held out his hand. “IDs.” Sebastian and Elizabeth dug their identification out and handed it to the bouncer. After verifying they were old enough, he handed the cards back, nodding them through.

Inside there were a lot more people than the non-existent line alluded to. It wasn't so full they couldn't walk through the club, but there were a lot of people both at the bar and on the dance floor. The first thing Elizabeth did was drag him over to the bar and get shots of vodka for them. Handing one to Sebastian, she held hers up and waited for him to clink glasses with her. “Here's to friendship.” They downed the drinks and she ordered another round. Holding the next one up, she grinned playfully. “Here's to hoping we don't kill each other over the next few months.”

After they downed that one as well, Sebastian laughed, feeling like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders. “I'm pretty sure if our friendship can survive high school, college, and four years apart, we can survive living together for six months.”

“I don't know about that,” she teased as she ordered another round for them. She didn't normally drink very much, so after two shots of vodka, she was starting to feel a little bit buzzed. She knew after one more, she'd be drunk which was a bad idea, given her feelings for Sebastian, but it was a risk she was willing to take in order for him to have some fun. After they downed the third shot, she laughed. “A lot of times, living together is when you find out all of the horrible quirks of people. That's when you find out that you can't stand somebody, after spending too much time with one another.”

“Shit, Lizzie, we’ve been friends since we were in seventh grade. I’m pretty sure we know all of each other's annoying quirks.”

Chuckling, she gave him a hard hug. “Wanna dance?”

He shook his head, sitting down on one of the barstools. “You go ahead. I don’t really feel like dancing.”

“Seb…”

“It’s fine. I’m fine.” He turned her body and pushed her towards the dance floor. “Go dance, have some fun. I’m just gonna sit here and have another drink.”

Elizabeth made her way onto the dance floor, the three shots of vodka coursing through her body. In another ten minutes or so, she would be completely drunk off her ass, but until it filtered through her, she was going to enjoy the buzzed feeling.

A woman approached, dancing in front of her. She stayed at a respectful distance, but still close enough to show Elizabeth that she was interested. Even though her attraction to women was not enough to want a relationship with one, she grabbed the other woman’s hand and drew her close, placing her hands on curvy hips. The woman wore jeans as well, a loose transparent shirt showing off the bra beneath.

Leaning forward the woman yelled over the music, “My name’s Angie.”

“Elizabeth,” she shouted back. Angie pulled her closer, placing her hands on Elizabeth’s ass. When she did, Elizabeth placed her lips against Angie’s ear and tried to clarify, “I’m not here for…”

“It’s okay,” she laughed, pulling her more firmly against her body. “I’m guessing you’re here with the annoyed guy at the bar?”

Elizabeth glanced over and saw Sebastian pulling back from another guy who had his hand on his thigh. Sebastian would never outright tell someone to leave him alone, and while he was so gorgeous that anyone would be attracted to him, he seemed uncomfortable. “Yeah, he’s…”

“Your boyfriend, I’m guessing.” Angie didn’t seem upset, just kept dancing, grinding her hips against Elizabeth’s. “You guys here to put some spice into the bedroom? 'Cause I’m willing if…”

When the guy’s hand drifted higher on Sebastian’s thigh and he grimaced, Elizabeth turned back to Angie. “Sorry, you’re really pretty, but my friend needs rescuing.”

Before Elizabeth could walk away, Angie grabbed her hand. “Let me help.” She leaned forward and whispered into her ear, laughing when Elizabeth grinned and nodded her head.

They held hands as they walked over to Sebastian and his unwanted admirer. When they were about a foot away, Elizabeth drew closer and leaned against her best friend, pulling Angie along. She trailed her fingers down his chest, making her voice sound aroused - not a hard thing to do considering her years-long attraction to him. “Sweetheart, I found another woman for our bed tonight.”

The other guy backed up and Elizabeth stepped between Sebastian’s thighs, groaning internally. Letting go of Angie, she tried to keep the ruse up so the guy would leave. Both her hands slid up the outside of Sebastian’s thighs, drifting over his chest to his shoulders. Leaning forward, she placed her mouth by his ear. “You okay, Seb?”

After the guy shrugged and walked away, Sebastian nodded, unable to say a word. He could feel himself growing hard in his pants, the feeling of her hands on him making all sorts of sinful thoughts cross his mind. But he kept his hands at his sides, not wanting to freak her out by pushing too far. When the other woman stepped behind his best friend, molding her body against her back, he groaned out loud.

Elizabeth felt Angie’s soft body pressing against hers, hands drifting up the outside of her hips, moving around the front. Elizabeth’s own hands returned to Sebastian’s thighs, fingers digging into the muscles there. When Angie’s fingers traced over the fly of her jeans, she couldn't contain the aroused sound that escaped her lips.

Leaning more fully against her body, Angie whispered into Elizabeth’s ear, “Your boyfriend is gorgeous. Look into his eyes, can you see how turned on he is?” She undid the top button of the jeans, slowly lowering the zipper. When her fingers slipped inside Elizabeth’s pants and into her underwear, she moaned as her fingers touched wet pussy. “Look at him, Elizabeth. Kiss him, imagine my fingers are his.”

Elizabeth’s eyes fluttered open, staring straight into Sebastian’s blue eyes. She couldn’t see if his pupils were dilated as hers most likely were, but she could see the intense expression on his face. Angie pushed her closer, hiding her movements with Sebastian’s thighs. Her finger rubbed against Elizabeth’s aching clit, every once in awhile drifting between her engorged labia.

When Elizabeth’s hands wandered further up his thighs, thumbs nearing his hard cock, Sebastian grasped her hands, holding them in place. He knew exactly what was happening. The rapid breathing, the little moans that Elizabeth let out when the woman behind her touched her just right… it was unexpected, but he wanted his Lizzie to enjoy herself. He drew one of his hands up her arm to her face, threading his fingers into her hair. “Go ahead, Lizzie. Let go. Enjoy yourself.”

Elizabeth’s head fell forward, resting against Sebastian’s chest as he ran a hand down her hair. Her breathing became quicker and more shallow the closer she got to orgasm. Just thinking of how close Sebastian was to her, the public setting… she lifted her head, wanting nothing more than to kiss him. 

As her fingers tightened on his thighs, Sebastian groaned, knowing she was close. God, he wanted to hear her gasp out as she came, screaming his name. He couldn’t help himself as he growled, “Come for me.”

Over the din of the music, Elizabeth couldn’t hear what he said, so she pretended that he was moaning her name, cock sinking deep into her pussy. As Angie’s fingers drifted over her clit one more time, she came, biting her lip to stop his name from tripping over her lips.

Angie slipped her hand out of Elizabeth’s pants, fastening them back up again. Placing a gentle kiss to her neck, she murmured, “Go home with your boyfriend, he needs some relief too.” Pulling back, she walked away, leaving them alone.

Taking several deep breaths, Elizabeth eased back from Sebastian, her face flushing when she noticed the look in his eyes. If she had thought he would welcome it, she would have leaned forward, pressing her lips against his, maybe lay a hand on the front of his pants to see if his cock was hard. But as a friend, she couldn’t do that to him. She wouldn’t push those boundaries. Losing him would hurt too much.

Sebastian removed his hand from her hair and cupped her cheek. “We should probably go back to your place. I’ve had enough of this loud music, and you probably want to…” He hesitated briefly, not wanting to embarrass her. “I’m sure you’d like to change out of those clothes.”

She nodded, pulling back to give her some space to calm down. Even after coming, she still felt more aroused than she had in a long time. “Yeah, let’s go home.”

On the walk back, she kept at least a foot away from him the whole time. It was colder than it had been when they had left the apartment, but the idea of touching him just turned her on even more. Not a good idea when she was going to have to share her bed with him in a little bit.

When they got back to the apartment, Elizabeth went inside and straight into the bathroom. At the door, she looked over at her friend. “Seb, I have some of your old clothes in my bottom drawer. Go ahead and change and get in bed, I’ll be up after I take a quick shower.”

Sebastian did as she asked, first taking off his shoes by the door before trudging up the stairs. He pulled open the drawer, finding a shirt and a pair of sweatpants. They looked like something he had left after spending one too many nights at her place. Thank God his erection had subsided on the cold walk home. If she had known how turned on he was… it was one thing to find your friend attractive, it was another to make them uncomfortable. And that was something he never wanted to do.

Climbing under the covers, he laid on his usual half of the mattress, waiting for her to come up the stairs. When she did, he waited until she shut off the light and got in bed. Rolling to his side, he rested his head on his forearm. “Thanks, Lizzie.”

“What for?”

“For being you. For taking me in when you know that my parents would…”

“Seb, I’m not making you move back in with your parents. I love Georgeta and Anthony like they were my own mom and dad, but no one should have to move back in with their folks if they have another option.” She reached across the bed and laid a hand on his arm. “Tomorrow… we’ll figure out everything tomorrow. But the one thing I won’t do is kick you out. _ Te iubesc, _Seb. Always. Okay?”

“Okay.”


	15. Thoughts of You

2011

Sebastian woke up pressed against her… again. Living with Elizabeth was going to kill him if he couldn't get these feelings under control. Especially the raging hormones that seemed to make an appearance whenever she was within ten feet of him. He rolled away, sitting up with his feet dangling over the edge, trying to think of anything but the half-naked woman lying next to him in bed. He fell back on the one thing he knew would work, reciting Shakespeare.

He managed to get through most of his favorite soliloquy when Elizabeth stirred. “What’re you doing, Seb?” she groaned blearily. “It’s too early for Hamlet.” Looking over at the clock, she nearly jumped out of bed, scrambling out from beneath the covers as she tried not to freak out. “Oh fuck, I forgot to set my alarm last night, I'm gonna be late.” Digging through her dresser, she pulled out a pair of jeans and a sweater, then ran down the stairs from her loft so she could go into the bathroom and change.

Sebastian laid back down on the bed, throwing an arm over his eyes. Thank God she went downstairs. He loved his Lizzie for letting him live with her, but he really needed to get his own place. Not because he didn't enjoy spending time with her, but because every second that he spent in such intimate proximity with her, he fell a little more in love with her. It was too damn hard to be so close to somebody that he could never have.

Luckily, when Elizabeth came back up the stairs, his raging erection had calmed enough that she wouldn't be able to notice. She threw her clothes onto the haphazard pile of dirty laundry she had been putting off washing. Kneeling on the bed, she leaned over, pressing a gentle kiss to his forehead. “I've got a shoot at Cosmo, dealing with a bunch of hangry models all day, so wish me luck. I’m going to do my best not to kill anyone. Hopefully, everything will go as planned and I'll be home around dinner time.”

Lifting his arm from his eyes, he looked over in time to see her start walking down the stairs. Her long hair was still in the French braid she had worn to bed last night, little pieces of hair sticking out messily, but she was still the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen. “I'm going to do some laundry today, you want me to toss in some of your things?”

Pausing on the top step, she turned back to him, frowning slightly. “Sebastian, you know you don't have to do anything to stay here with me, right? You're my best friend and that's what best friends do, they help each other out when they need it. I don’t expect anything from you in return.”

He pushed himself up to a seated position, turning his laugh into a cough when he saw the pained look in her eyes. “Don't worry, Lizzie. I'm not doing laundry to try and make myself feel less guilty about staying with you. I just need some clean clothes, and you are probably running out from the size of that pile over there, so I figured I would offer. You’ve been so busy lately with work, you’ve barely had time to sleep, let alone wash your clothes. Right now I’m in between gigs, so the least I can do is take care of this for you to help out. After all, that's what best friends do, help each other out when it's needed.”

With a shrug of her shoulders, she conceded, “If you want to, but don't feel like you have to.” She looked at her watch. “I really have to go, I'm already running late. I'll pick us up a pizza from Joe's on the way home tonight.”

After she left, Sebastian laid in bed for a while trying to go back to sleep. The likelihood he would pass out again was minimal though. He always ended up wide awake after finding himself pressed against her perfect ass in the morning. There was something about waking up curled around the woman he loved that roused him better than an alarm clock.

He decided to just go ahead and do the laundry. Maybe if he did that and cleaned up the apartment a bit, he would feel less like an asshole for moving from his half of the bed to hers almost every night. The only good thing was that he generally woke up before she did. This meant that she never found out she was on the receiving end of his morning wood, or that her luscious backside just made him harder every time he realized that she was pressed against him in such a compromising position.

With the laundry finished and folded, he looked around the small loft area. The closet was downstairs, but she had a dresser upstairs that also served as her nightstand. The loft area was just big enough for her king-sized bed and the dresser, nothing else. Maybe if she had a smaller bed she could have put more furniture up in the small area, but he thanked God every day that she didn't. If he had to sleep even closer to her, he would have pushed the boundaries of friendship a long time ago. And as much as he dreamed about that, he wasn't willing to risk losing her on the off chance that she responded to his advances. Their relationship was too precious to him.

He thought back to when he had first shown up, flat broke and hating life because his dad had just been diagnosed with Alzheimer's. Two things that only added to the horrible few months he’d been having. Elizabeth had held him in her bed as he curled against her side and sobbed. The panic hadn't eased until she had started murmuring in Romanian, her fingers running through his hair. That night was when he realized that he was in love with her. Ending up at the gay bar, that woman touching her, had been almost more than he could take. If he had even an inkling that she felt the same, he would have told her everything.

Shaking his head, he tried to clear his thoughts. He could already feel the arousal starting to build again and he really did not need to be thinking about his best friend that way. All that would lead to is confusion and guilt, and he already had enough of that in his life. He quickly shoved his clothes into the bottom drawer of the dresser, then looked at her shirts in his hand. He couldn't leave them out, that wasn't how his mother raised him. If he'd already gone through the trouble of washing and folding them, why not simply finish the task?

Setting the stack on top of the dresser, he opened the top drawer, trying to figure out which one housed the shirts. But when he pulled it open the rest of the way, his brain short-circuited and he forgot why he had opened it in the first place. There were so many different pairs of underwear and bras, sexy things he had never seen her in before. Bits of lace and satin and cotton and... oh my God, what the fuck was that? He looked over at the side of the drawer, seeing what appeared to be a bright pink piece of plastic. If that was what he thought it was… nudging a bit of the underwear out of the way, he saw the vibrator in all its glory. It was neon pink, all smooth with a curved tip at the end. He was no stranger to sex toys. Quite a few of his exes had them and it had only enhanced their sex lives. But his Lizzie... he'd never thought about her doing that, at least he'd tried not to. Thinking about her masturbating would make it too difficult for him to do anything around her, and he didn't need another reason to wake up with an aching hard-on.

When his palm pressed down hard on his aching cock, he let out a hiss. Fuck, when had he started touching himself? But the thought of Lizzie lying on the bed naked, her pert breasts jiggling as she plunged that pink vibrator in and out of herself, the curved end rubbing against her g-spot as she moaned... fuck, it made him harder than he'd been in a long time. Sneaking a glance at the clock, he saw that it was only a little bit past lunchtime. Maybe just this once, he would let himself live in the fantasy of being with her. Indulge in his desires. Once, then never again.

Pulling his hand away from his throbbing erection, he unzipped his jeans, carefully pushing them down over his hips. When his hand touched his cock through his underwear, he nearly came. He made quick work of removing his shirt, jeans, and underwear, the feeling of fabric too much on his overly sensitive skin. Standing there naked, with his cock jutting out from his hips, he groaned. God, if Lizzie came home…

Moving to the bed, he laid down, stroking his cock gently in an attempt to extend his pleasure. All he could think about was what would happen if Lizzie came home, what if she found him... and joined him.

The sound of the door opening, the clicking of her heels on the hardwood floor as she walked into the apartment. The breathy little sounds she made when she was thinking about something and muttering to herself. God, she would come up over the crest of the stairs, her hair cascading down her shoulders, curls everywhere. The first thing her eyes would see would be his cock, weeping precum as he stroked it. Fuck, he didn't think he could take any more of this imagining. But still, he kept picturing her in his mind.

Her eyes would dart to his cock, tongue sneaking out between her luscious lips, wetting them as her eyes widened. A soft moan would escape her mouth and she would whimper, a hand drifting to the front of her pants to brush over her aching clit. He would stand up, sauntering over to her, pulling her close against him. His cock would nudge against her hand and she would move from touching herself to touching him. Soft skin caressing his as he sunk his hands into her hair, pulling her face towards him for a tender kiss.

God, the last time they had kissed he had felt like such an asshole. But to have her like this, touching him, whimpering against him, making those moans that she sometimes did while they were sleeping and she was dreaming... he would give anything for that. For those sounds to be made because of him.

He imagined her sinking to her knees, hazel eyes staring up into his, one hand gripping the base of his cock, the other snaking around to grab his ass and pull him forward… fuck. His fingers would still be tangled in her hair as she slipped his cock into the wet cavern of her mouth. Bobbing her head up and down, sucking lightly, tongue swirling over the tip every time she pulled off. God, he could imagine her humming against him, the sound sending pulses of pleasure throughout his body.

He started stroking his own cock faster, unable to resist for much longer. Panting with need, he hoped like hell that she didn't actually come home. But fuck, he needed this. Especially after waking up pressed against her again this morning. It was all he could do most mornings to not flip her onto her back, spread her legs, and fuck her senseless. The only thing stopping him was the knowledge that she wasn’t his.

He wouldn't want to come in her mouth, so using her hair he would pull her off his cock. Oh God, if she liked that little bit of hair-pulling... God... His hips jutted off the bed as he imagined the sounds she would make and how her eyes would glaze over if she had even a tiny bit of submissiveness in her. He didn't want someone to be his pet in bed, but every once in a while he liked to take control, and when a woman liked that it only turned him on more.

Pulling her up from the floor, he would take off her clothes, not caring where they fell. But the heels... the heels would stay on. He'd always wondered what she would look like in only those black Louboutins she owned. They were the only truly expensive frivolous thing she had ever purchased, buying them after her first gallery opening as a gift to herself. Every time he saw her wearing them, his mind immediately thought of how they would look with her legs wrapped around his waist, the points of the heels poking into his ass. Imagining the feeling of the tips scraping against his back… fuck, he wished he could see her like that.

Once she was naked he would explore her body, calloused fingers touching everywhere. Cupping her breasts, rolling her nipples between his thumb and forefinger, all over her perfect derrière, a hand slipping between her thighs to feel how soaking wet she was... fuck! He gripped the base of his cock to keep from coming, taking several deep breaths to calm down. If this was the only time he got to imagine her, the only time he would let himself picture her like this, he wanted to finish the fantasy.

Once he felt like he could continue, he started moving his hand up and down his length again. He would turn her around, having her place her hands on the edge of the dresser. The bed wasn’t quite tall enough for her to rest easily on as he fucked her from behind, but he wanted to be able to touch her, bury his face into her thick hair. She would do as he asked, bending forward and placing her hands on the wood, then turn her face toward him and beg, “Fuck me, Seb. Please, fuck me.” The way she said his name sometimes, her voice all husky and soft, it was all he could to not kiss the hell out of her. But as much as he would ache to fuck that tight pussy, he would drop to his knees behind her, wanting to run his tongue along her slit, tasting the arousal gathered there.

God, he would put his hands on her hips, pulling her back far enough that he could bury his face in between her legs, sucking on her clit, making her squirm. She would push back against him, making those whimpering noises that show she's close to orgasm. God, just the thought of her, bent over and spread before him, arousal dripping out of her pussy as he licked her from behind… He had to grip his cock at the base again, desperately wanting to stop himself from coming.

He would lick and suck until she came, moaning his name as she shuddered from her release. Maneuvering back to standing, he would spread her legs just a little bit further holding her hips to help steady her. Then grasping his cock, he would drag the tip along her wet slit, groaning as he felt her still fluttering from the aftershocks of her pleasure.

Slipping his cock into her tight pussy, into that wet heat that he had dreamed about for years, would feel like heaven. Bending over her, he would dig his hand into the hair at the base of her skull, wrapping it around his wrist and pulling back ever so gently. Oh, the little gasp of pleasure she would make from him doing that, the moans when she thrust her hips back at him as she begged him to fuck her. He would move his head to her neck, burying his face in the crook right where all her hair gathered. The smell of the fruity shampoo Elizabeth used shouldn’t be a turn on, but with her, everything seemed to be.

Sebastian's hand moved faster on his throbbing erection, feeling an orgasm building deep in his belly. That's when he would start fucking her, hard and fast. One hand on her hip, holding her in place as he thrust into her, the other still buried in her hair as he pulled her head backward. Thinking about the moans she would make, the way she would whimper his name, over and over again, begging him to fuck her harder. Begging him to let her come. 

“Fuck, Lizzie,” he groaned, not able to keep up the pretense of his fantasy for another second. His hand moved fast and rough on his cock as he pictured her in his mind. Another stroke and he came, shouting out her name as cum spurted out of his cock and onto his chest and the bed.

For several minutes, he laid there, content for the first time in months. Then the guilt crept back in. How was he going to be able to look her in the face after that? His breathing grew ragged as the panic set in. Closing his eyes, he used the techniques his therapist had taught him to bring himself back to reality. Deep breath through the nose, hold for 3 seconds, then out through the mouth. Five things he could see. Four things he could touch. Three things he could hear. Two things he could smell. One thing he could taste.

Once he got his equilibrium back, he used the edge of the sheet to clean himself up and then pulled back on his clothes. Dressed, he felt more like himself. She wouldn’t find out unless he told her, and there was no way in hell he was ever planning on doing that. And it wasn’t like he had molested her, just used the thought of her to get himself off. It was something that people did, use beautiful people to masturbate to. God, he was going to do his best not to feel like a complete asshole about that.

Quickly, he stripped the bed and tossed it in the washing machine. If she asked, he would say he did them because it was easy to do another load when he was already doing laundry. Then he looked at the stack of shirts on top of the dresser and the open drawer. Carefully, so as not to look at the vibrator again, he wandered back over and shuffled the underwear back on top of the toy, then shut the drawer. Instead of putting away the shirts, he left them where they were, not wanting to accidentally come across anything else he shouldn’t see.


	16. Premiere

2011

“Alright, everyone,” Elizabeth’s boss at Cosmo, Andrea, said to the group sitting around the table. “The New York  _ Captain America  _ premiere is coming up soon. We’re gonna send three people: one for pictures, one for video, and someone for the on-camera interviews. The only question is, who do we send?”

Elizabeth leaned back in her chair, trying to stay hidden behind the person sitting next to her so she didn’t have to say anything. But Andrea's sharp eyes caught the movement and she raised a perfectly arched eyebrow. Elizabeth sighed and leaned forward in the chair. She'd been wanting to keep her friendship with Seb separate from her work life, so as not to take advantage of him, but she brought up the information she knew her boss was looking for. “Andy, I know Sebastian Stan. We’ve been friends for sixteen years.”

“That is the kind of information I’m looking for!” Grinning, Andy leaned forward on the table, looking at each person in the eyes. “If you have an in like that, I expect you to use it. Understand?”

“Yes, ma’am,” they all answered together.

“Since she knows one of the stars, Elizabeth is going to go as the photographer. Matt, you’ll be our cameraman… Claire, you’ll be in front of the camera asking questions. Remember to smile and get their attention, in any way necessary.” Looking straight at Elizabeth, she gave her a knowing look. “And I expect extra good pictures of Sebastian, young lady.”

“Yes, ma’am,” she replied in all seriousness. The last thing Elizabeth wanted to do was make her boss unhappy. While she didn’t need the job at Cosmo, Andy was the one who had given her the opportunities that had propelled her into having a gallery display, while still being able to take photos of famous people. “If possible, would you like me to…” Elizabeth stopped before finishing the thought.

“Would I like you to… what?”

Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath. Opening them, Elizabeth replied hesitantly, “I think I could convince Sebastian to do a piece for the magazine. Something sexy that our readers would like. I can't make any promises, but I'll bring it up to him."

Andy's eyebrows raised even further up her forehead, almost comical in how high they got. “If you can do that, convince him to do a sexy photoshoot… I don’t know what I’ll do, but it’ll be good.” She waved at the door. “Go back to work everyone, we only have a few days to get ready for this.”

\--------------------

On the day of the premiere, Elizabeth decided to wear the most comfortable nice outfit she owned. It was July, and hot, and since she would be the one doing the most moving around, wearing a dress or heels was out of the question. Instead, she opted for a pair of black slacks and a silky black camisole, not bothering with a bra. She didn’t need to except to disguise her nipples, and she really didn’t have the desire to wear one. The fact that everyone would be looking at the celebrities, not her boobs, helped make her decision easier. Add to that a pair of black sandals, and Elizabeth was ready to go with her camera in hand.

Arriving at the event early like planned, Elizabeth searched the crowd to find Matt and Claire. She had worked with both of them before on photoshoots where it was more than just pictures, but never at an event like this. Elizabeth had worked with celebrities before, taking photos showing their best angles, but always in a controlled setting. The thought of having to do the same thing but in a much shorter time frame made it difficult for her to sleep the night before. Everything needed to be perfect. She didn’t want Andy to be upset with her for not getting the pictures she wanted, even though it was out of her comfort zone. Seeing her coworkers, Elizabeth waved and moved a little quicker over to them. “Hey, guys. You ready for this?”

Claire was peering down at her compact mirror, fixing a small blemish in her makeup. “I think the real question is, are you ready for this, Elizabeth? I've done this many times, so I’m not worried about myself, or Matt.” Snapping her compact shut, she put it back into her clutch. Arching an eyebrow, she sighed rather dramatically. “Please don't take offense to this, but I'm just worried about you.”

“About me?” Somehow, Elizabeth doubted that she cared one iota about her.

“Who else?” Crouching down, Claire put her purse into the equipment bag and then stood up, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear. “You've never done this before, and yet Andy gave it to you because you somehow know Sebastian Stan? Sorry, I just don't understand that. Most of us have worked our whole lives to get this gig, and you just get it handed to you because you apparently know a celebrity?”

As if she hadn’t worked just as hard to reach this point in her career. Elizabeth fought the urge to roll her eyes at Claire’s theatrics. “I’m sorry you don’t think I deserve to be here, but clearly Andy does, so you’re stuck with me whether you like it or not. And yes, I actually do know Sebastian Stan, we've been friends since seventh grade.”

Holding up her hands, Claire nodded. “Fine. Sorry. Let's just get set up so when they start arriving, we're ready to go.”

The first part of the red carpet walk went smoothly. As the other photographers were taking pictures of the celebrities, Elizabeth did as well, quickly falling into the focused zone she normally did while working. But when the stars of the movie started showing up, her attention wavered when she heard people calling Sebastian's name. Pulling her camera away from her face for a brief moment, she looked over and saw him. Wearing a light gray suit with a sky blue shirt and his hair slicked back, he looked more handsome than she had seen him in a very long time. Her heart skipped a beat, but she lifted her camera back up and began taking pictures again.

Feeling a nudge on her shoulder, she lowered the camera again, turning to see Claire with her haughty brows raised as she reminded, “This is why Andy sent you here. Get his attention, maybe he'll come over and talk to us.”

Knowing that the best way to get Sebastian to hear her over a sea of other voices was to speak his native language, she called out to him, “Sebastian,  _ uită-te aici _ (look over here).” He glanced around briefly, confusion etched on his features but didn't appear to notice her. So she tried again,  _ “Dulce băiat, adu-te naibii aici și îmbrățișează-mă. _ (Sweet boy, get the hell over here and give me a hug.)”

This time, his head snapped over to where she was yelling from and when his eyes met hers, a huge grin crossed his face and he rushed over, long strides eating up the distance between them. The camera was taken out of her hands right before Sebastian picked her up in his arms, twirling her around as she squealed. “Dammit, Lizzie, I didn't expect to see you here!” When he put her down, he couldn't help but notice how the silky material draped over her pert breasts. Forcing himself to look back up into her eyes, he grinned. “What the hell are you doing here?”

“Well…” Glancing over, she saw Claire holding her camera, mouth agape as she stared at them with wide eyes. Seeing the shocked look almost made her laugh out loud. It was worth every disparaging comment she’d had to endure from the other woman to see her so flabbergasted. “I was taking pictures until you showed up.” Laughing lightly, she laid a hand on his chest, then smoothed down his tie before pulling back.

“Damn, you just made my day a lot better.” Sebastian tossed a glance over his shoulder and yelled, “Chris, get your ass over here!”

A handsome man joined them, throwing an arm around Sebastian’s shoulders, a huge grin on his face. Although they were the same height, he was broader in the chest than her best friend, his light brown hair sticking up ever so slightly. When his gaze moved over to Elizabeth, she had to hide a blush when his eyes raked her up and down before he said, “What’s up, Seb?”

“This is Lizzie,” Sebastian stated, waving his hand at his best friend.

“This is your Lizzie?!” Chris sounded surprised as he slowly gave her the once-over again. “Hot damn, I knew I should have come and visited you in New York sooner.”

Elizabeth felt her cheeks flush, and she tried to ignore the compliment he had just given her. Sticking out her hand, she waited for him to grasp it before saying, “Elizabeth Gray, nice to meet you.”

“Chris Evans,” he replied, deep voice clearly amused. “So, Miss Elizabeth Gray, are you joining us for the premiere?” When Chris noticed the confused look on her face, he glanced around and saw the other two people staring at them with mouths agape, assuming that they must have been with her. “Ah, I see you're working.”

“Yeah, not here for fun, sorry.” She shrugged and glanced over, noticing Claire giving her a look that said,  _ Ask them _ . “You guys want to... maybe... answer some questions for our camera?”

Sebastian chuckled lightly. “Anything for you, Lizzie.” He pulled her into another hug, the tension from being forced to be in the public eye, yet again, draining when her hands rubbed small circles on his back. Placing his lips by her ear, he whispered, “When this is all done, go up to the main entrance. I'll have your name added to the list so they’ll let you in. That'll get you a free seat, and you can see the movie.” He pulled back. “I'm assuming you have your cell phone on you?” After she nodded he grinned. “Text me once you're inside and I'll find you. Now, what's this about questions?”

\--------------------

After the movie finished, Elizabeth stayed in her seat like Sebastian had told her to. Unfortunately, he hadn’t been able to bring her over to him because of the pre-assigned seating arrangements. His joining her had also been out of the question, there just wasn’t an open seat for him to take and he had been told everyone was put into specific spots on purpose. So he'd texted her, saying to stay in her seat when it was over to make it easier to find her after.

Crossing her right leg over her left, she swung her foot gently, staring at her phone. People milled around her, walking past, talking, but not paying any attention to the fact that she hadn’t gotten up yet. Pulling up Instagram, she looked up the hashtag ‘#captainamericathefirstavenger’ and scrolled through the pictures posted there. The New York premiere wasn’t the first where the stars had been, so there were lots of pictures of Sebastian in suits for her to drool over. But one of the pictures she stopped on was of Chris Evans.

In the picture, he wore a deep navy three-piece suit with a checkered light blue shirt and a glossy cerulean tie that bound the whole look together. The glasses he wore made him look a little like Clark Kent, but the smile is what drew her in. While he wasn’t Sebastian, she couldn’t stop looking at him. There was something about his blue eyes and smile that made her heart beat a little faster.

A throat cleared from above her and Elizabeth’s head whipped up, her cheeks warming as she flushed. Sebastian stood there, a wry grin on his face. “Hey, Lizzie. Having fun?” He nodded his head in the direction of her phone. Though he knew he didn't have the right, he couldn’t help but feel a twinge of jealousy at the soft look on her face as she had admired his co-star. She wasn’t his and never would be, so he swallowed down the unwelcome feelings and forced his voice to sound neutral. “You know, he’s gonna be at the after-party. If you want to come, I’m sure he’d be interested in…” Swallowing hard, he finished, “...in talking to you.”

Standing, she locked her phone, tucking it into her purse. Elizabeth could still feel the blush on her cheeks, but she ignored it, playfully glaring at her best friend. “Sebastian Stan, are you going to try and set me up with Chris Evans?”

“No?”

Shaking her head, she put her arm through his. “So, are we going to this party? I want to meet your co-stars, tell them what I thought of the movie.”

“As long as it's good,” he cautioned. Directing her towards a side exit, he looked down at the woman on his arm, unable to believe that she was actually there with him. Ever since he was a teenager, it had been his dream to have Elizabeth at his side for one of his premieres. But to have it come true.... giving his head a shake, Sebastian tried to clear his thoughts. “I don't need everyone giving me crap because my girl has some not-so-nice things to say about the movie.”

Tilting her head to look up at him, Elizabeth had to fight to keep her mouth from dropping open at his choice of words. 'My girl.' God, how she wished that were true! To hide her shock, she let out an exaggerated sigh. Her voice was laced with sarcasm as she said, “Oh well, then maybe I shouldn't come. I mean... that was the worst movie I've seen in... I don't even know how long.” When Sebastian frowned, she giggled. “God, Seb, don't worry so much, you’ll get wrinkles. I loved it. It was fun, funny, and heartbreaking. I have nothing but good things to tell anyone who asks what I thought.”

\---------------------

Once they arrived at the party's location, Sebastian intertwined his fingers with Elizabeth’s, pulling her through the open door and into the crowd of people. It seemed like almost everyone who had been in the movie or had worked on it, was there. As Elizabeth tried to look around and take it all in, he dragged her over to the side where Chris stood talking to a tall, vaguely familiar-looking black man and the woman who played Peggy.

'Peggy' noticed them first, elbowing Chris in the ribs. When he looked up, a big grin spread across his face. “Seb and Elizabeth, you made it!”

“Well you knew I'd be here,” Seb retorted, sounding exasperated.

“I wasn't talking to you,” he teased, his eyes never leaving Elizabeth. Holding out his hand, he waited for her to shake it, then lifted it to his lips, placing a kiss on the back. “Enchanté, mademoiselle.”

Elizabeth's cheeks flushed, her eyes dropping briefly to the floor. “Mr. Evans, it's good to see you again.”

“Please, call me Chris.” He lifted the hand not holding hers and tilted her head up. “So, Elizabeth, what did you think of the movie?”

The woman elbowed him in the side again, shoving him out of the way. "Really, Chris, stop monopolizing the poor girl." She held out her hand and shook Elizabeth’s. “Hayley Atwell. It’s a pleasure to meet you. Are you and Sebastian…” Her eyebrows rose as she looked between them.

Elizabeth's face flushed brighter, but she shook her head. “Just friends, Miss Atwell. Best friends, actually.”

“Bloody hell, call me Hayley, I'm still not used to people addressing me so formally.”

As the woman laughed, Elizabeth shook her head. “Sorry, Hayley, Sebastian and I are just really good friends, that's all.” Peering over at him, she gave him a big smile. “God, we've known each other for how long now, Seb?”

“Sixteen years, I think.” Sebastian had to school his expression, not wanting Elizabeth to notice the longing he felt. This was the first time in a long time where he hadn't been in a relationship and they were out together. After living with her for six months, he found it hard to think of her in any way other than as a potential girlfriend. “We met in 1995 so…”

“Really?!” the black man exclaimed. Elizabeth still couldn't quite place him, but she knew he'd been in the movie, she just couldn't remember his character. The man gave her a large toothy smile. “Name’s Sam, nice to meet you.” He drew her into a hug, and when he released her lifted a finger and waggled it at her. “Don't you dare call me Mr. Jackson, I get enough of that from other people.”

“Sam?” As her head tilted to the side and confusion. When she realized who he was, her eyes widened. “Oh! You’re Samuel L. Jackson!”

“Yes, ma'am,” he laughed. Glancing over to the side, he grimaced. “Looks like I'm being summoned.” Turning back to Elizabeth, he nodded. “It was nice to meet you. “

After he left, Sebastian placed a hand on her lower back, trying to ignore the anxiety creeping up. This was the first really large movie premiere he'd been to, the first movie he'd worked on with such big names. At least, Samuel was a well-known actor. Chris had been in a few things, but he could still walk down the street without people mobbing him. Even though he loved acting, losing his privacy and being forced to parade around like a monkey wasn’t his idea of fun.

Chris noticed the touch, deciding that even though Elizabeth was gorgeous, he wasn't going to get in the way of his friend being with a girl he liked. So instead of flirting with her, as he wanted, he simply said, “I'm going to get a beer, anyone want anything?”

A few hours passed, with Sebastian dragging Elizabeth around to be introduced to so many actors their names and faces blurred. She passed out her business card, getting promises of work from quite a few people, including the Marvel exec who had come to the party a little bit late.

As Elizabeth chatted with Hayley, Sebastian leaned over and murmured in her ear, “I'm going to go find Chris, I'll be back.” Elizabeth nodded and kept talking. Walking away, Sebastian followed the sound of his friend's laughter, shaking his head as he smiled. Chris's laughter held an infectious joy that could make him feel better under almost any circumstance. As he neared the group, the guys talking to Chris dispersed. Sebastian asked a question he didn't want to, but after seeing his Lizzie mooning over a picture of Chris he knew he had to. “So, what do you think of Lizzie?”

Scratching his chin, Chris's head tilted to the side as he tried to figure out how to answer. His nose wrinkled as he let out a heavy sigh. No matter how much he didn’t want to step on Sebastian’s toes with a girl he knew he liked, he couldn’t lie. “She's great, Seb. Gorgeous, funny... just like you said she would be.”

Sebastian felt the smallest twinges of jealousy run through him before he reminded himself that Lizzie wasn't his and never would be. He replied softly, “Yeah, she is pretty great, isn't she?” Reaching up with one of his hands, he rubbed the back of his neck trying to feel less awkward about what he was trying to do. “What would you think about…”

The sound of heels halted Sebastian's words, and both boys looked over to the side to see Hayley and Elizabeth coming up to them. They were arm-in-arm, with big grins on their faces. When they got close enough, Elizabeth broke away from Hayley and wrapped an arm around Sebastian's waist, leaning against him. “Guess what, Seb?”

“What?”

With her other hand, she smacked him playfully in the chest. “You're supposed to guess, silly boy.”

He took in her exuberant expression and the equally joyful smile on Hayley's face. “Did you convince Hayley to model for you?” When Elizabeth's grin widened, he chuckled. “Of course you did, no one can say no to you.”

Pulling away from him, she looked up at her best friend. “That reminds me, I promised Andy that I would ask if you'd be willing to do an article and photoshoot for Cosmo.” She looked over at Chris who had a mirthful glint in his eye. “You can do one too if you want. I'm sure my boss would love to have half-naked pictures of Captain America in the next issue of Cosmopolitan.”

Chris shook his head. “No thanks, not for me.”

“Do you really want me to do this, Lizzie?” Sebastian asked softly.

Laying a hand on his arm she replied gently, “You know I never make you do anything you didn't want to. You can always say no. I only promised I would ask, not that you would do it."

“Ooh, I have an even better idea,” Hayley interrupted. All eyes turned to her and she put her hands on her hips, feeling exceptionally genius for her idea. “I'm already doing one with Elizabeth just for fun, why don't you do a photoshoot with her instead of with Cosmo? That way, the only people that will see the pictures are you and her.”

“Actually, that sounds like a much better idea.” Sebastian felt some of the tension drain from his shoulders. As much as he loved his best friend, the idea of modeling for a women's magazine as a sexual object didn't hold a lot of appeal for him. He much preferred to be as out of the limelight as he could.

“Really? You would do that?” Elizabeth had been trying to get Sebastian to agree to model for her ever since he moved into her apartment. Getting him to do it was harder than it sounded.

When a yawn made his jaw crack, instead of answering her he turned to Chris and Hayley, stating, “I think we're gonna head out, guys.”

Chris pulled him into a quick hug, then Hayley did the same before leaving them alone. After they were gone, Elizabeth crossed her arms over her chest, looking up at Sebastian and raising one eyebrow. “Are you really tired, or were you just trying to get rid of your friends?”

“No, I really am tired. It's been a long, stressful day... I just want to go home and go to bed.”

“Oh,” Elizabeth muttered as her face fell.

Seeing her distress, Sebastian laid one hand on her shoulder, tilting her head up with his other. “I'm not doing this because I don't want to hang out with you. I really am exhausted. But, I also wanted to get you alone so I could talk to you about this photoshoot idea.” Her eyes brightened, the corners of her mouth quirking up into a small smile and he felt a little bit better. “I know you've been trying to get me to do this for a while now, wanting to use me as part of your next gallery installation. If I said yes, what would that entail?”

“Well…” Elizabeth's cheeks pinkened as she thought about the plan for her next display. “It's…” Trying to get the words out quickly, she mumbled, “The theme is artistic nudes.”

Sebastian's eyes widened as his jaw fell. “Your next theme is nudes? How did I not know this?”

“Because you weren't... I wasn't ever planning on... It wasn't my intention to…” Shaking her head, she sighed. “When you were staying with me, I went to a studio I rented to take the pictures. I didn't want to make you uncomfortable by having the models come to the apartment while you were there.”

“Stupid girl, it wouldn't have made me uncomfortable.” Muttering a curse in Romanian, he pulled her into his arms, hand at the back of her head as he held her against him. “You didn't have to spend that kind of money just to try to make me feel more comfortable. You could have just kicked me out of the apartment if you needed it for work.”

“I couldn't do that.” She lifted her head and stared into his blue eyes. When his tongue darted out to lick his lips in the nervous habit he'd acquired over the years, that only served to turn her on and she had to hide the shiver of arousal that snaked down her spine. “It doesn't matter anyway, it's over and done with.”

“Do you want me to pose for this... theme?”

Elizabeth's cheeks grew redder, the flush heating up her face. Feeling embarrassed, she deftly changed the subject, wanting to get the picture of Sebastian naked out of her head. “Remember back in college when I got Ollie to model for me?” He nodded, and she started rambling, “Well, I had to promise her my firstborn in order to get her to do it, and you said that if you modeled for me, I could promise you my firstborn...”

“Where are you going with this, Lizzie?” Sebastian interrupted, not wanting to remember the three years he'd spent barely talking to his best friend, not to mention the four years after where he didn't get to see her at all.

“Well…” She pulled back completely and stared down at her fingers, picking at the cuticles. Taking a deep breath, she straightened her back and gave him as calm of expression as she could, even though she only brought up the memory because she didn’t know what else to say. "It’s just… I’m pretty sure if I promised both of you my firstborn they would cancel each other out, and anyway, I’m pretty sure Ollie would concede that you have more of a claim than she does because of how long we've been friends. Plus, it’s not like I’m even thinking about having children yet, so it’s really only a joke, but…”

Laying a hand over her mouth, Sebastian halted her nonsensical rambling. “Lizzie, we're too old for that shit. Look, if you can swear that no one will be able to tell it's me in the photos, I will take them and let you use them for the gallery display.”

“You will?!” she exclaimed after he pulled his hand away.

“Of course I will. Best friend, remember?” Yawning again, he ran a hand through his hair. “Do you want to stay? I'm sure Chris and Hayley will…”

“No,” she said, slipping her arm through his. “Let's just get out of here. I have to get back to Cosmo in the morning anyway to go through the pictures and see if any of them are good.”


	17. Captain America

2014

Letting herself into Sebastian’s apartment using the key he had given her, Elizabeth tried to keep quiet, wanting to surprise her friend. But as she snuck into the apartment, she heard the sound of laughter and shook her head, grinning to herself. Placing her purse down and kicking off her heels, she moved into the living room where the sound came from and saw Sebastian sitting on the couch with his two new best friends, Chris Evans and Anthony Mackie.

Clearing her throat, the guys looked up at her, and Sebastian bounded to his feet, rushing over to envelop her in his arms. Burying his face into the curls at her neck, he breathed in her scent, murmuring, “You came.”

Feeling the tension in his shoulders, she rubbed his back in soothing circles. “Of course I did. Couldn’t miss watching  _ The Winter Soldier _ with my best friend. I was gonna bring Ollie too, but she had to go to Cali for a business trip.”

“But you said…”

His voice sounded so hurt and full of pain that Elizabeth stilled. Originally, she hadn’t been able to make it, needing to be out of town for a gig. But when they had talked on the phone, and she had heard the disappointment that was so evident in his tone, she had pushed the client off for a week in order to be with him. “I’m sorry, Seb.”

“It’s fine.” Pulling back, he plastered a smile on his face. Just having Elizabeth there had made him happier, so he pushed back the sadness, instead choosing to be glad she had come. “Come, I want you to meet the guys.”

He turned so that they faced the living room and Elizabeth saw the two men sitting on chairs opposite the couch, beers in hand. Both of them watched her with eagle eyes, taking in the short white dress she had worn. It was summer, so the lightweight dress was the perfect compromise to getting dressed up. It had thin straps, triangular pieces of fabric that covered her breasts completely but managed to show them off nicely, then flowed down the rest of her body, halfway down her thighs. She probably shouldn’t have worn such a tiny dress, especially when Sebastian was dating again, but she just wanted to feel pretty when around the man that she cared for.

Chris stood up, walking over to where his friend and Elizabeth stood. Grabbing her hand, he pressed a kiss to the back of it. “Good to see you again, Liz.”

“Liz?” She arched an eyebrow, chuckling in amusement. “Really?”

“You don’t like it?”

When he frowned, she did too. “No, I like it. It’s just… the only other people that have shortened my name are Seb and my mother. Everyone else calls me Elizabeth.”

“I can call you that if you’d…”

Stepping forward, she shook her head. “Liz is fine.” Tilting her head to the side, she looked up into his blue eyes and for the first time, her thoughts were of someone other than Sebastian. It probably helped that Chris was tall, muscular, and attractive. It took all her willpower to not reach up and cup his face, run her fingers over his thick beard. A throat cleared to the side and she looked over, seeing Anthony standing there with a stupid grin on his face. Breaking away from Chris, she moved over and held out her hand. “It’s nice to finally meet you. Seb has told me a lot about you.”

“Hope it was good.”

“Nope, all bad.” Elizabeth couldn’t keep the mischievous smile off her face. “He’s told me all about the antics you pulled on set. Apparently, you're the practical joker of the set.”

He threw back his head, laughing. “Oh, darlin’, I just bet he did. You shouldn’t lie to her about me, Seabass, cause I know all the salacious stories you probably haven’t told her.” Anthony gave Sebastian an exaggerated wink. “Like that time in Atlanta, when you got drunk and…”

“Mackie…” Sebastian’s voice was low with warning. “She doesn’t need to hear about that.”

“Nonsense.” Walking over to Anthony, she snaked her arm through his and smiled at Sebastian. “Why don’t you go get us some beers? I’ll just be in the living room hearing all about our time in Atlanta.”

As she walked away, Chris laughed loudly. “Damn, that girl is a spitfire.”

“Yeah, I know.” Shaking his head, Sebastian headed toward the kitchen. “Chris, come help me grab the beers.” Opening the fridge, he pulled out four drinks, setting them on the counter and then leaning against it. While the stories that Anthony would tell would be embarrassing, it’s not like he had any secrets from his Lizzie. Except for the fact that he loved her. That was something he just couldn’t tell her.

Chris walked into the kitchen, hands stuffed in his pockets. Shuffling forward, he looked down at the ground, unsure of how to go about doing what he wanted. When Sebastian cleared his throat, he looked up and saw the concern etched on his face. Sighing, he lifted one of his hands and scratched his cheek. “So, uh, I was wondering…” He paused, taking a deep breath, trying to calm his anxiety. “Do you think that Liz would… uh… maybe… perhaps…”

Sebastian swallowed a chuckle, not wanting to make his friend feel more awkward than he already did. “Do I think that Lizzie would… what?”

In order to just get it out, Chris said quickly, “Do you think that she might be interested in going out with me?” When Sebastian’s face morphed into an expression he couldn’t place, he added, “Only if you think it’s okay. It’s just… she’s really gorgeous and funny, and with all the stories you’ve told… I kinda feel like I know her.”

Taking a deep breath, Sebastian pushed his jealousy back and closed his eyes, counting to three in his head. When he finished, he opened his eyes and forced a smile on his face. “Of course it’s okay with me. What could be better than two of my best friends getting together?” he lied through his teeth.

Chris didn’t quite believe him. The way that Sebastian talked about her, he was pretty sure there was something that he wasn’t saying. “Seb, are you sure?” He couldn’t bring himself to ask the question he truly wanted answered - if Sebastian wanted Elizabeth for himself. “I just… I don’t want to get in the way if she… likes someone else.”

Raising a hand, Sebastian rubbed his eyes. While nothing would make him happier than getting to be with his Lizzie, he couldn’t keep her from finding happiness of her own. And Chris was the type of guy that would do that for her. Sweet, caring, handsome… someone that she deserved to be with. He just loved her so fucking much, there was nothing he wouldn’t do for her. And if that meant setting her up with Chris, that’s what he would do.

“Seb…?” Chris’s voice was tentative.

Dropping his hand, Sebastian looked up at his friend. “As far as I know, Lizzie doesn’t have feelings for anyone.”  _ She definitely doesn’t feel the same way about me that I feel about her.  _ “And… she’s not dating right now either. So, if you want to ask her out, I say go for it.”

“But do you think…” Chris swiped a hand through his thick hair, then rubbed the back of his neck. “Do you think she might be interested in me that way?”

“Remember the Captain America premiere?” When Chris nodded, he continued, “When I picked her up from the audience, she was looking at pictures of the LA premiere… your picture to be precise. The way her cheeks flushed when I caught her… let’s just say I’m pretty sure she thought you were cute.” God, he hated admitting that Elizabeth found someone he knew attractive. “Plus, when she first got here, I’m pretty sure that she forgot Mackie and I were even here. With the way she was looking at you…”

“You really think so?”

At Chris’s hopeful tone, Sebastian had to suppress a frown. “Yeah, I do.” Picking up a bottle he handed it to Chris, then grabbed the other three. “I know my Lizzie better than most. Ask her out, she’ll say yes.”

Heading back into the living room, he watched as Elizabeth threw back her head, laughing loudly at something Anthony had said. When her head tilted back down, she peered at the boys through thick lashes. “Sebastian, you naughty boy. I didn't know you enjoyed strip clubs.”

Handing Anthony and Elizabeth beer, Sebastian flopped back onto the couch and took a long pole from his bottle. “Yeah, well, it wasn't my idea.”

“Hey,” she said softly. Scooting closer to him, she rested her head against his shoulder. “I can't give you shit, I like strip clubs too.”

“You what?!” Chris exclaimed as he sat down in one of the chairs.

Shrugging, she kept her tone even not wanting to make a bigger deal out of it than it was, “It's just a strip club. Watching women, or men, taking off their clothes to music…” She shrugged again, then took a drag of her beer. “Done right, it can be very sensual and a turn on, especially if you go with someone else.”

“And on that note…” Anthony pushed off the couch and went over to the chair he had been occupying when Elizabeth first arrived. “Put on the movie, Seabass. I want to see what Elizabeth thinks of it.” Nodding in her direction, he grinned. “Darlin’, you ain't lived until you’ve seen how bulky Seabass got for this movie."

“Oh, I already know.” She sat up straight so Sebastian could put the movie into the Blu-ray player and when he sat back down, putting one of his arms over the back of the couch, she snuggled up against him again. “He put in a lot of hours with Don to get that way. But I'm going to enjoy finally getting to see it. I watched him practice that knife flipping maneuver for weeks until he got it perfect. I want to see if it looks as awesome in the movie as it did in real life.”

Chris watched Sebastian and Elizabeth, building the closeness between the two of them. But even though Elizabeth was snuggled up next to Sebastian, it didn't seem sexual. Maybe his friend was right, maybe she did like him. But he wasn't going to do anything about it now. It would have to wait until after the movie when he could get her alone.

\--------------------

“All right, Seb.” Elizabeth stood on her toes and pressed a kiss against her best friend's cheek. “It's time for me to get out of here.”

Wanting to make her happy, even though she could never have it with him, he conspired to give his friend his chance alone with her. “Take Chris with you.” When she opened her mouth the protest, he laid a finger over her lips. “Lizzie, it's late and we live in New York City. Take Chris so I don't worry about you getting hurt, or mugged. At least until you catch a cab to take you back to your apartment.”

“Seb,” she groaned, letting out an exasperated sigh. “I'm a grown-ass woman who carries pepper spray in her purse. I can take care of myself.”

“I know, I know.” He held up his hands in surrender. “But you've had a few beers, and you know I'll worry about you. Please, for me.”

“Fine.” She slipped on her heels as Sebastian went over to the living room to get his friend. When he came back, Chris following closely behind him, she tried not to be irritated that her friend was treating her like a child. “You mind waiting with me outside while I get a cab?”

Sebastian had fed Chris a line about worrying about Elizabeth's safety, but he was pretty sure he was trying to give them some alone time. “Sure, just let me get my shoes on.” Once they were downstairs, Chris grabbed her arm before they went outside. “Hey, Liz, can I ask you something?”

Stopping, she looked up into his worried blue eyes, trying not to panic at the weird look on his face. “Anything. I'm an open book.”

When her mouth quirked up into a smile, he relaxed and dropped his hand down to hers, grabbing her much smaller hand in his large one. “You're gorgeous and funny... and sweet…”

“Chris, you don't need to flatter me.” Taking a step closer to him, she laid her other hand on his chest, eyes widening when she felt the erratic pace of his heart. “What's going on?”

Taking a deep breath to steady himself, Chris asked, “Would you like to go out with me?”

“Where are you staying?”

“That's not what I... I wasn't expecting you to…” Chris's face fell and he said softly, “That wasn't what I meant.”

At his downcast expression, Elizabeth realized she hadn't answered his question. Lifting her hand to his face, she rubbed a thumb along his cheek. “I'm sorry. Yes, I would love to go out with you. And I was asking because if you were feeling up for it, I was thinking maybe we could have our first date right now.”

“Right now?”

At his hopeful expression, she smiled. “Yeah, why not? I'm not that tired, and this way we can get to know each other a little better. I know you live in Boston, so this way we can spend some time together before you head back home.”

“I'm staying with Seb.”

“Text him and let him know that we're going out.” As he did, she got out her phone to do the same, texting Sebastian:  _ I love you, but I don't need you getting involved in my love life. I am capable of finding dates on my own, you know. _

Sebastian responded quickly:  _ I don't know what you're talking about. _

Rather than get into a lengthy argument with him, she simply responded:  _ I may have been born on a Saturday, but it wasn't last Saturday.  _ Then she quickly added:  _ But I’m not mad. _

One more response from Sebastian:  _ I just want you to be happy. Give him a chance. _

Before putting away the phone, she smiled and sent:  _ I am. _

Chris put his phone back in his pocket and looked down at the beautiful woman standing in front of him. “So, what did you want to do? It's a little late to go out for dinner. Did you want to go find a bar and get drinks or something?”

A mischievous thought crossed her mind, making her giggle lightly. “I have a better idea. But it’s a surprise.”

“Lead on, gorgeous.”

\--------------------

Chris climbed out of the cab first, holding out his hand to help her out. When they turned towards the nightclub near Elizabeth's apartment, Chris looked down at her and raised an eyebrow. “A gay club? Really?”

Shrugging, she tried to hide her mirth at his reaction. “It's got good music and alcohol. Plus, my apartment’s only about a block away, within walking distance, so afterward we can go and talk if you want.”

“Talk?”

She smacked him playfully in the bicep just like she would have with Sebastian. “Yes, talk. Mr. Evans, you will do well not to besmirch my honor.” Smiling so she would know that she wasn't being serious, she added, “Don't worry, Chris, I don't plan on sleeping with you tonight. I really do want to get to know you better first.”

Inside, they went up to the bar and ordered a couple of beers. Neither one of them wanted to get drunk as they had both already had several drinks at Sebastian's place, so they felt it better to stick with something with lower alcohol content. Taking a sip of her drink, Elizabeth looked at him with twinkling eyes. “So, Mr. Evans, tell me something…” A pair of arms encircled her waist and she squealed, nearly dropping the beer bottle. When a soft voice whispered in her ear, she relaxed and patted the hands clasped on her stomach. Turning her head she looked at the woman hugging her. “Hey, Angie.”

Angie released her, moving to the side and then wrapping her arm around Elizabeth's waist again. “And who might you be handsome?”

Elizabeth answered for him, “This is Chris. My date.” When Chris gave her a confused look, she sighed. “This is Angie, we…”

“I'm her on-again, off-again, girlfriend.”

“Girlfriend?” Chris's eyebrows rose halfway up his forehead. “I didn't realize you were…”

“Somewhat.” Elizabeth shrugged. “But I think Angie calling me her girlfriend is a little bit too... extreme for what we are. What she should have said is that we're occasional fuck buddies.”

Angie pulled away, clasping both hands in front of her heart and gasped. “You wound me! I thought what we had was real!”

Elizabeth knocked into Angie with her shoulder, laughing lightly. “You know I love you, Ang.”

“So are you and handsome here looking for a third for the night?”

When Chris turned red enough that Elizabeth noticed under the dim lights of the club, she said, “Alright, and that's enough of Angie for the night.” She turned to look at the woman standing next to her. “I love you, but not tonight.”

Angie grabbed Elizabeth's face with both her hands, pulling it towards hers and smacking a kiss on her lips. “Love you too, beautiful.” She turned to Chris and trailed a finger down his chest. “Hopefully I'll be seeing you later.” She winked at him and flounced off, shaking her hips as she did.

Elizabeth chuckled again, shaking her head. “Sorry about that, Angie is a little…”

“No worries.” Chris finished his beer and set it down on the bar. Then he leaned down, placing his mouth next to her ear. “Why don't we get out of here? As much fun as it was having your… fuck buddy ask us if we want to have a threesome, I want to get to know you and that's going to be kind of hard to do at a nightclub."

“To my place?”

“As long as you understand that I’m not…”

Stepping closer to him, Elizabeth laid both hands on his chest, feeling the solid muscles beneath his white Henley. She kept her body far enough away that the temptation to kiss him would be minimal. But when she looked up into his blue eyes, desire hit her hard and fast, making her heart beat faster. It took every ounce of willpower she had not to kiss him. “I’m not fucking you tonight, Chris.”

“Good, we’re in agreement then.” Chris grabbed her hips, pulling her fully against him. When her eyes fluttered closed, he swallowed a moan and ran a hand up her torso to her head, threading his fingers into her thick, curly hair. “But unless you tell me no, I’m going to kiss you.”

Feeling the hard ridge of his cock pressing against her hips, she inched her fingers up until they cupped his face. “Kiss me.” Lowering his face, he pressed his lips against hers in a chaste kiss. But she pulled back and gave him a wry grin. “I said kiss me.”

Pressing his lips against hers, he did as she asked, kissing her deeply and thoroughly, her soft tongue dancing against his. He could feel himself growing harder against her and he moaned, moving his hands back to her hips to pull her harder toward him. His hips moved of their own volition, grinding against her as they kissed, the moans she made telling him exactly how much she enjoyed it.

Pulling back, Chris felt breathless. This woman was so uninhibited, so fucking gorgeous... he couldn’t believe his luck. Pressing his forehead against hers, he tried to calm his erratic heartbeat. “Fuck, Liz, if I had known you could kiss like that, I would have waited until our next date.”

Tipping her head up, she pressed a soft kiss to his lips. “Still not fucking you tonight, no matter how turned on I am.”

“Do you think we should go back to your place? Maybe we should…”

“I have enough self-control not to fuck you if I don’t want to, Chris.” Pulling back, she interlaced her fingers with him and pulled him to the front of the club. “The walk back to my place will help cool us down.”

They didn’t speak as they walked back to her apartment, the silence doing as much to cool their ardor as the chill in the night air. Chris could still feel the arousal deep in his belly, but the aching hardon had subsided… somewhat. When they entered her apartment, he stopped and looked around. “Wow, this place is…” He looked around for a place for them to sit, only seeing the two uncomfortable looking dining chairs. “Umm, you got a couch or something?”

She just pulled him toward the stairs and up to her bedroom. Maybe taking him to the only comfortable place in her apartment was a bad idea, but the throbbing between her legs was making her do things she normally wouldn’t. Dropping his hand, she kicked off her shoes and went over to the bed, climbing on and sitting with her back against the headboard. She patted the spot next to her.

Chris just shook his head. “That’s not a good idea.”

“Chris,” she murmured. Looking straight into his eyes, she crooked her finger. “Come sit down with me. We’re both adults, we can resist.”

“But I’m not sure I want to.”

“Fuck,” she groaned. Taking a deep breath, she squeezed her legs together trying to take the edge off of her arousal. “You may not want to, but we can. Besides, I don’t have anywhere else to sit. So, you can either sit by me so we can talk or…”

Toeing off his shoes, Chris climbed onto the bed and sat down next to her, staring at the metal railing that overlooked the lower floor of her apartment. When her hand hesitantly touched his arm, he turned and saw her hazel eyes staring at him, pupils blown out nearly covering the enchanting color. “Fuck it.” He pulled her onto his lap, her legs straddling his hips, and pulled her down on top of him. When she pressed against his cock, he moaned and leaned his forehead against her shoulder, trying to resist the urge to come. “Fuck, what am I doing? You don’t…”

Lifting his head, she stared down into his eyes and rocked her hips back and forth, ever so gently. “I’m not fucking you.” She kissed him gently, tongue darting out as he moaned to enter his mouth. When his fingers tightened on her hips, she started moving them a little harder… a little faster, the feeling of his hard cock pressing against the denim of his jeans hitting her clit just right. “But, that doesn’t mean we can’t have some fun.”

Sitting up straighter, Chris wrapped his arms around her and kissed her harder, the feeling of her rubbing against him driving him to distraction. All he wanted was to lift her little white dress, pull her panties to the side, and sink into her wet heat. Instead, he held onto her torso, not wanting to take more than she was willing to give. As her hips moved faster, he pulled back from her kiss, moaning, “Fuck, sweetheart, you feel so… Fuck!” He moved his hands to her hips, helping her move just a little faster against him. “Liz, goddamn, I’m not going to last.”

Leaning forward, Elizabeth put her mouth by his ear, drawing the lobe in between her teeth, biting down slightly. No man she’d been with had ever turned her on as much as Chris did at this moment, but still, it wasn’t quite enough to make her come. But she honestly didn’t care about that. All she wanted was to see the handsome man beneath her fall apart. She whispered in his ear, voice husky, “Come for me, Chris.”

He pulled her hips against him, pressing her down hard on his cock as her words shot straight through him. Head falling forward against her, he stiffened, groaning “FUCK!” as he came. Her hands threaded in his hair, rubbing his scalp as he breathed raggedly, trying to calm down. Sitting up, he smiled. “Holy fuck, Liz, I haven’t come in my pants like that since I was a teenager.”

“Glad I could assist.” Elizabeth could still feel her clit throbbing, desperately aching for the release of orgasm. But she couldn’t ask him for that just because she didn’t finish. Trying to hide the fact that she hadn’t finished, she pressed a kiss against his lips. “I really like you, Chris.”

From the husky tone in her voice and the small moan she tried to hide when his hands drifted to her thighs, he could tell that she was still horny. “Did you…” When she looked away, he had his answer. Drawing his fingers up her thighs and to the hem of her dress, he bunched the fabric in his hands pulling it out of the way. Sliding his hands under the material that remained, he touched the waistband of her underwear and she looked back at him. Dipping a finger under the band, he asked, “May I?”

Elizabeth nodded, unable to speak. He lifted her off of him, laying her back down on the bed and placed his legs on either side of hers, reaching under her dress to grab her underwear again. She lifted her hips, letting him draw them down her legs. When he tossed them on the floor and looked down at her with those blue eyes of his, all she could think was that she wanted his cock between her legs, thrusting in and out of her aching pussy. But she didn’t give voice to the words trapped in her throat, knowing that it was too soon for that kind of intimacy.

Scooting back, Chris grabbed her legs and spread them slightly, kneeling between them. Her dress still covered the juncture of her thighs for which he was grateful because otherwise, he wouldn’t be able to stop himself from going further than she had specified. Laying on top of her, he held his weight off her body with his arms, pressing a soft kiss to her lips. “Fingers or tongue?”

“Hmm?” she moaned against his mouth.

Pulling back, he grinned. “Fingers… or tongue?”

God, the thought of his mouth on her nearly sent her into an orgasm without any stimulation. But at the same time, she wanted to kiss him more than she wanted him to lick her to completion. “Fingers.”

One of his hands snaked between her hips and under her dress, finger dipping between her engorged labia, feeling the juices dripping out of her. “Holy fuck, Liz, you’re so fucking wet.”

When he slipped a finger inside of her, her hips lifted to meet his hand. “More,” she groaned, gyrating against his hand. He slipped another finger inside, then started moving his hand in and out of her as his thumb rubbed her throbbing clit. Dipping his head down, he kissed her with as much passion as he could, his hips moving in time with the thrusts of his hand.

Fuck, she was so close. Her hips moved against his hand and she gripped his head, disentangling their mouths. “Chris, please… I need…”

“What do you need, sweetheart?” he asked, his already deep voice even lower than normal.

“Fuck… don’t know… need more…”

He dropped his mouth back down to hers and kissed her hard, then started peppering kisses on her neck, drifting down. They may not be having sex, and he may have already come, but he wanted her to feel the same pleasure he head. Through the thin fabric of her dress, Chris sucked one of her nipples into his mouth, teeth pressing down lightly as his tongue danced over the tip.

Back arching off of the bed, Elizabeth gasped as her orgasm approached. His fingers curled up inside of her, rubbing on her g-spot as his thumb moved faster against her clit. As he sucked harder on her nipple, her eyes rolled back in her head with the force of her orgasm as she yelled, “CHRIS!”

He kept rubbing as she came on his fingers, pussy clenching down hard. As the fluttering slowed, he did as well, then drew them out. When her eyes looked into his, he brought the hand to his mouth, sliding the fingers in and sucking her cum off his flesh. “Fuck, sweetheart, next time I’m using my tongue.”

Elizabeth couldn’t help it, she giggled. When he frowned, she pulled his head down and kissed him, the taste of herself on his tongue sending a spasm through her pussy. “Next time, lover.”

He fell to the side and laughed, realizing how much he liked the woman laying next to him. Then he stilled and groaned, staring up at the ceiling. “Shit, Liz, I didn’t mean for this to go that far.”

“It’s okay, Chris. If I hadn’t wanted it, trust me, we wouldn’t have done it.”

Turning his head to look at her, he turned serious. “Still, I shouldn’t have…”

Pushing herself up, she gazed down at him, then pressed a soft kiss to his lips. “I have no regrets. That was fucking fantastic. I haven’t come that hard in… in a long, long time.” Climbing off the bed, she dug into her drawers and pulled out a pair of sweats that belonged to Sebastian, tossing them to him. “Put these on. Then we’re going to sleep because I’m exhausted, especially after that.”

“Liz, I don’t think it’s a good idea for me to stay.”

Stalking back over to the bed, she put her hands on her hips and said sternly, “I want to sleep with your arms around me. If that’s not what you want, you’re free to go back to Seb’s place.” Softening her tone, she added, “Please, I want you to stay.”

He climbed off the bed holding the sweats and pulled her into his arms. “Are you sure?”

“Never been surer of anything.”


	18. Headliner

2014

Knocking on her boss's open door, Elizabeth walked in when Andy looked up from her computer with a smile on her face. “Hey, boss, I have an idea I'd like to run past you.”

When Elizabeth sat down in the chair across from her desk, Andy turned away from the computer and folded her hands on top of one another, resting them on the wooden surface. “Shoot.”

“Well, you know how I know Sebastian Stan?”

“Yes, I do know that. And I remember the last time you tried to get him to do something he declined.”

“Well, he declined because he was worried it would turn into him being half-clothed and he wasn’t comfortable with his celebrity back then. In the past few years, he’s gotten a little more used to the idea that people want to know more about him.” Taking a deep breath, Elizabeth steeled herself for rejection. “I've been thinking a lot about this, and I haven't quite been able to figure out which magazine this would fall best under, but because you're my favorite boss I figured I would give you first shot at my idea.”

“Color me intrigued. Go ahead, regale me with your genius.”

Elizabeth chuckled, then leaned back in the chair crossing one leg over the other. “So, since I know Sebastian and Chris, I was thinking that…”

“Which Chris?”

“Chris? What are you…” Then Elizabeth realized what she had said and her face flushed. “Oh, Chris Evans. I, uh, met him through Sebastian. We’re… friends?”

“Friends, huh?” Andy didn't push Elizabeth, knowing that it would only shut her down. Gently, she encouraged her, “Go ahead. Please, continue.”

Intertwining her fingers on her lap, she drew in a deep breath. “I was thinking that a series on each of the Avengers might be nice. Well, maybe not just the Avengers, but all the big stars of the recent Marvel movies. So, Sebastian Stan, Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Chris Hemsworth... I don't know if I'll be able to get all of them to agree, considering I'm really only... friends with two of them, but I should be able to get at least Sebastian, Chris, and Anthony Mackie.”

“And who were you thinking of starting with?”

That brought another flush to Elizabeth's face, thinking about what it would be like to visit Chris in Boston. “Well, I was thinking that if we did it kind of like an Avengers at home piece, that would take away a lot of anxiety that some stars feel when they have to come in for an article. I was thinking that we could do one to two pages on each person - have a picture or two and have them answer some questions. Quick and easy, but the fans would love it.”

Andy asked the question, this time more pointedly, “Who were you thinking of doing first?”

“Well…” Elizabeth hedged, not really wanting to tell her. But in the end, her desire to do a big project won out over her embarrassment. “I was thinking of starting with Chris Evans. He's at home for the next week or two, so I figured that would be the easiest place to start. I know that if we're doing an Avengers at home series, we'll have to catch them at home, so I wanted to start with the one person I knew would actually be at his house.”

“Do you have his number?”

Elizabeth got out her phone pulling it up and rattling it off to Andy. “Do you want me to text him and let him know that you're going to call?”

Shaking her head, Andy grinned. “Nope. We're going to call him right now.” She dialed the number, letting it ring. When a soft “Hello” came through the phone, she said, “Mr. Evans?”

“Yes?”

“Mr. Evans, this is Andrea Cooper the executive editor with Cosmopolitan magazine. Just for your awareness, I have you on speaker. With me I also have Elizabeth Gray, one of our photographers. Would you have a few minutes to talk with us?”

“Of course.” Chris sounded excited, which Elizabeth knew had to be due in part to her being on the other end of the call. Normally, he was just as bad as Sebastian about wanting to have his picture taken for magazines. “What can I do for you ladies?”

“Well, Mr. Evans, I'm going to pass you over to Elizabeth so she can elaborate as to why we are calling.”

After Andy turned to the phone toward her so her voice could project towards the speaker, Elizabeth started simply, “Hey, Chris.”

“Hey, Liz.”

When he didn't add anything else, she was grateful. “So, we had an idea that we were hoping you might be amenable to. We're planning a series called  _ Avengers at Home _ and we'd like to start with you. It would be simple, just showing you in your natural habitat. Nothing fancy, nothing ornate. Just a couple of pictures of you at home surrounded by the things that make you comfortable and a few questions to answer for the fans.”

“Has anyone else agreed to this yet?”

“No, not yet. You're the first we asked.” Elizabeth paused, hoping that this wasn't a bad idea. “But I'm fairly certain that we can get at least Sebastian Stan and Anthony Mackie as well, maybe Scarlett Johansson if she's feeling up for it.”

Chris laughed through the phone, a rumbling chuckle that made Elizabeth smile. “And when would you like to do this?”

Elizabeth sat there for a minute, stunned that he’d implied his answer was yes. Since she didn't reply, Andy did for her, “When would you be available, Mr. Evans?”

“Well…” he answered hesitantly, letting Elizabeth hear the true indecision behind his earlier yes. “First let me ask a question. Who's going to be the photographer and interviewer?”

“That would be Elizabeth,” Andy gave her a thumbs up, “and only Elizabeth. We want to make this as comfortable as possible for you, so we wouldn't be sending a team over, just one person to ask the questions and take the pictures.”

“Then my answer is yes. As to my availability, I can do it anytime this week or next. After that, I'll be away from home for a couple of months for work.”

“Would it be all right if I had Elizabeth call you later to confirm a date?”

“Yes, ma'am.”

“All right. Thank you for your time, Mr. Evans. Elizabeth will be in touch with you shortly.” As she hung up the phone, Andy raised an eyebrow at Elizabeth who sat there with a red flush on her cheeks. “Just friends, huh?”

“Fuck,” she groaned, leaning forward with her elbows on her knees. Elizabeth rested her face in her hands, mumbling, “We've been dating for a month. I'm pretty sure that's the only reason he said yes, because the last time when I asked Sebastian about doing a shoot for Cosmo, I also asked Chris and he didn't want to do it either.” Sitting up, she swiped a hand down her face. “I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner, it's just that this is new and…”

Andy held up a hand stopping her before she could say anything else. “I'm not upset with you, Elizabeth. Remember, I like the people that work for me to use everything at their disposal. If that means using the fact that Chris is dating you to get him to agree to a photo shoot, I'm okay with that.” Waving her hand, she shooed her away. “Now go, call your Captain America and set up a day when you can go to his place in Boston and get the pictures. I'll write down a list of questions that you'll be asking each of the stars you go to visit. That will be one less thing you have to worry about.”

“Thanks, Andy.”

“No, thank you. If this turns out as good as I think it will, it's going to be awesome. Probably will be our best-selling magazine, especially with how big the Avengers have gotten.” Waving her hand again, she turned back to her computer. “Go call your boyfriend, I’ll send you the questions as soon as I’ve compiled them.”

\--------------------

Elizabeth pulled her rental car into Chris's driveway, her excitement at getting to see him making it hard for her to think about anything other than him. For the first time, she finally felt free. Free of feelings and obsession that had made it difficult for her to live her life. Free to picture herself with anyone other than her best friend. While she couldn't help the fact that she loved Sebastian and probably always would, being around Chris made her feel like a teenager again.

Climbing out of the car, she grabbed her purse and camera bag, heading to the front door. After ringing the doorbell, she stood there and waited for Chris to answer, suddenly nervous. They only had a few days together, spending the entire weekend with one another. While they didn’t have sex, they had talked for hours. And when they weren’t talking, they made out, grinding against each other, giving and taking pleasure while keeping their clothes on. But she couldn’t help but be worried. Would he still look at her the same way? Would his eyes light up? Would a soft smile cross over his face as he pulled her into his arms? It was the one thing she worried about, whether or not the month since they've last seen each other would have dulled the attraction.

But when Chris opened the door, he had a smile on his face that was so wide and joyful, it calmed her down immediately. He took a step forward then glanced down, seeing the bags in her hands. “Hey, Liz,” he said exuberantly. “Come on in. I got the place all cleaned and organized, so you don't have to worry about trying to find a place to take pictures.”

Stepping into the house Elizabeth was in awe of the simplistic beauty. Warm wood and leather were carried throughout the entryway and into the living room. With off-white walls, landscape paintings, and a case with awards that he had won, it felt exactly like him. Simple, rugged, masculine, and comfortable.

He pointed at the couch. “Go ahead, you can set your stuff down there.” As soon as she did, he pulled her into his arms burying his face into her neck, holding her tight against him as he sighed in relief. “God, Liz, I fucking missed you.”

Elizabeth ran a hand down the back of his head. “I missed you too, Chris.”

When he lifted his head and looked down at her, there was a mischievous twinkle in his eye. Sliding his hand into hers, he pulled her towards the back of the house. “I want to show you something.”

When he pushed open a door and Elizabeth saw a huge bed dominating a large room, she had to chuckle. “Chris,” she muttered. “We need to get some work done first.”

Turning to face her, he backed her up until she was against the wall and placed both hands on it next to her head. “It's been a month,” he groaned. “I really, really, really just want to kiss you. So fucking bad.” He leaned his head closer and closer until it was a hair's breadth away. “Say yes,” he breathed.

“Yes.”

His head dropped the last bit, lips capturing hers in a fiery kiss full of passion and longing. When he pulled back, they were both breathless and panting, need evident in their eyes. His hands dropped to her shoulders, skimming the flesh of her arms down to her hips, then behind her to her ass. When he lifted her up she let out a surprised squeal, but when he stepped closer to her and her legs wrapped around his waist, she could feel the hard ridge of his erection straining against his jeans. As she moaned, his head dropped down to her neck and he pressed a kiss near her jaw.

“Fuck, sweetheart, if you don't want this, just…”

Elizabeth grabbed his face with both her hands, drawing it away from the sensitive skin of her neck so she could look into his brilliant blue eyes. “Chris, honey, I want this just as much as you do. I thought about nothing else but your hard cock sinking into me for the last month.”

At her words, he let out a guttural groan, hips moving involuntarily forward, pressing her harder against the wall. “Fuck.” He kissed her again, harder and more visceral than before as he ground his hips against hers.

When he stopped kissing her for a second to catch his breath, Elizabeth gasped out, “This would be easier without clothes on.”

Setting her down, he took a step back and started taking off his clothes so quickly she chuckled until he pulled down his jeans with his underwear and she caught sight of the huge cock hanging heavy between his legs. When he stood up straight, looking down at her, the only thing her eyes were on was the appendage jutting out from his body.

After a minute, he cleared his throat and she looked up. “Your turn.” When she just stood there, he stalked forward, resting his hands on her hips. “Do you mind if I…?” he asked as he slipped his fingers under her shirt. She just shook her head and he lifted it slowly, fingertips softly skimming her torso. When they grazed her breasts she gasped, but he just kept moving the cloth upward until it was completely off and he tossed it down to the floor.

Before he could undo her bra, she had taken it off, dropping it haphazardly to the side. As his gaze dropped to her hardening nipples, she ran her own hands up her stomach until they cupped her breasts, thumbs rubbing lightly over the hard nubs. “God, Chris. I want…”

Dropping to his knees, he pressed a kiss to the flesh above the waist of her jeans and she moaned. Deftly, he undid the button and lowered the zipper before pushing them down over her hips, taking the underwear with them. Before the fabric crested over her mound, he looked up, asking seriously, “Are you sure? I don’t want to push you for more than you are willing to give.”

“Lover,” she said softly, cupping his face in her hands. “I’ve been waiting for this for weeks. Thought about nothing else but the weekend we spent together.” Bending down, she pressed a kiss to his lips. “I like you, Chris, more than I thought I would. More than I thought I could. But if it’s too soon for this, we don’t have to…”

As she straightened, he pulled the jeans the rest of the way down, stopping only when they reached her ankles to take off the heels she wore, before taking off the last article of clothing so she stood there naked. “God, sweetheart, the things I want to do with you.” Spreading her legs slightly, he leaned forward, sucking her engorged clit and the surrounding flesh into his mouth.

Her legs turned wobbly and she moaned his name, fingers digging into his hair. His fingers dug into her thighs to hold her up, while his tongue lapped and lavished at her core. When she started shaking, his tongue moved faster against her clit while he sucked and mumbled against her, trying to give her as much pleasure as possible.

As Chris mumbled against her pussy, Elizabeth dug her fingers tighter into his hair. Her knees felt weak, legs shaking as her orgasm neared. “Fuck… Chris… holy shit…” She moaned, eyes fluttering closed. Her pussy tightened. “Chris… Chris… oh fuck, CHRIS!” As her pussy contracted as she came, her fingers detached from Chris’s hair, and she felt herself falling into his arms as his mouth released her.

Elizabeth knelt on the floor in front of him and he wrapped his arms around her, rubbing the curly hair that flowed down her back. It took her a couple of minutes, but when she lifted her head and looked into his eyes, he had trouble catching his breath. Her hazel eyes were still blown out with arousal, the smile on her face making his heart beat faster. “Holy hell, Liz. You are so fucking gorgeous.”

She pressed a kiss to his lips, then stood on shaky legs, holding her hand out to him. He took it but used his own strength to stand, knowing he was too heavy for her to lift. Letting go of him, Elizabeth turned to the bed and shook her ass as she walked over, climbing onto the bed and kneeling on it, looking over her shoulder at him. “You gonna come and fuck me, Chris? Or do I need to take care of myself?”

Climbing onto the bed, he moved behind her, pressing his pelvis against her wet center, groaning when his cock hit her pussy. “Fuck, gorgeous. I’m gonna fuck you so good, but not like this.” Using his strength, he picked her up, flipping her over onto her back. Grabbing her legs, he placed his arms under her knees, hands on the bed and leaned down, kissing her hard. Moving his hips around until his cock was close to her pussy, he moaned, “Shit. Last chance, Liz. I want this… I want you… but if you…”

Grabbing his face in her hands, she pulled his head down and kissed him. Moving one hand down between them, she grabbed his thick cock and placed the tip at her entrance. “Chris… lover… I want you to fuck me. Please, for the love of…”

Thrusting his hips forward, he entered her in one movement, stopping when his thighs met her hips. “Fuck, you are so tight.”

Elizabeth had to close her eyes. God, it had been so long since the last time she’d had sex, and he was big, bigger than any other guy she’d been with. The way he stretched her, even though she was wetter than usual, it held just a hint of pain. Not enough that she wanted to stop, but a slight amount that made her wince when he moved a little bit. She gasped out, “Hold on… just… one second. Give me a second to get used to you.”

“Shit, I can pull out. I don’t want to hurt you.”

He had stopped moving, so she lifted a hand to his face. “You’re not hurting me.” He looked like he didn’t believe her, so she added, “It’s just been a while, that’s all. Just… give me a sec to get used to you.”

“Liz…” he breathed. Her admission made him like her even more. He had never met another woman who would be willing to admit something like that. Taking a deep breath, he thought of anything but her warm heat.

Moving a hand to her clit, she rubbed the aching nub, moving her hips ever so slightly. Every time she did, it felt just a little bit better, until the pleasure had her moaning. “God, Chris…” Moving her hips a little faster, she opened her eyes and looked into his. “Fuck me.”

“Are you sure?”

“YES!” Using the hand on his cheek, she slipped it to the back of his head, pulling his face toward hers for a fierce kiss. “Fuck me. I need you… now!”

He moved his hips back, pulling all the way out before he pushed back in just as slowly. In and out, he moved so achingly slow he thought he wouldn’t be able to stop himself from going full speed. But he wanted Elizabeth to feel nothing but pleasure. To make their first time together memorable in a good way.

When she made a mewling sound at the back of her throat, her fingernails digging into his back as she brought her hips up to meet his, he knew she was enjoying herself. He started moving a little faster, his cock harder than it had ever been before.

“Fuck, Chris,” she moaned. Another orgasm was close, the way he stretched her, touching every erogenous zone inside of her, it was almost more than she could take. “Faster. Please, for the love of God… faster.”

Moving his arms from where they held up her legs, he let them fall to the side and put his hands by her shoulders, leaning down to capture her lips in a fiery kiss as his hips pistoned in and out of her. Over and over again, he moved as hard and fast as he could, knowing he was close. Lifting his head slightly, he groaned at the heavy-lidded expression on Elizabeth’s face. “Are you close?”

“God, yes.” Her head fell back as her pussy fluttered in a micro-orgasm. “Come with me, Chris. Fuck… you feel so good.”

The tone in her voice sent a wave of arousal to his groin and his hips stuttered. “Fuck, Liz!” He kept fucking her, lowering his face to her neck, sucking the skin at the junction near her shoulder. As her pussy contracted on his cock and she yelled his name, he thrust in one more time, coming hard. “LIZ!!” he shouted, still moving his hips through the orgasm.

Falling forward, Chris tried to hold himself up so he didn’t crush her. Her pussy still fluttering on his softening cock, making him groan from too much pleasure. He slipped out of her and to the side, standing and staggering into the bathroom to get a wet washcloth. Bringing it back into the bedroom, he cleaned her up gently, before using it on himself and tossing it to the floor. Laying next to her on the bed, he pulled her into his arms, holding her close. “God, Liz. That was…”

“Great. Stupendous. Fantastic. Mind-blowing.” She ran a hand down his face, trailing her fingers through his thick beard. “Best orgasm I’ve ever had.”

“Yeah?” he asked tentatively.

“Yes.” She yawned, the combination of the long flight and the awesome orgasms making her exhausted. “You’ll learn something about me the longer we date. I don’t say things I don’t mean. When I say you’re the best fuck I’ve had, I mean it.”

Deciding that talk of sex would only make him want another go, and he knew that if she had been in pain at all in the beginning, she would probably be sore if they went twice, he changed the subject. “So, after we got off the phone a few days ago, I created a group text to see if the others would be interested in doing your series. Seb and Anthony told me they already said yes to you, but I got a few more to agree to it.”

“You did?!”

“Yeah. Hemsworth, Robert, Mark, Tom, Scar… they all said they’d love to be a part of your  _ Avengers at Home  _ series. They even said I could give you their phone numbers to set up a time.”

Pushing herself up, Elizabeth looked down at the rugged man lying next to her. “You did that? For me?”

Chris shrugged, not wanting to take credit for something that hadn’t been difficult. “They’re doing it because you are an excellent photographer. And… everyone that has met you loves you. Scar has the photos you took hanging on her wall. I’ve seen them. They’re gorgeous.” He brought a hand up to her face, smiling when she yawned again. “Lay down. Let’s sleep for a bit and then we can start the interview. How long do I have you for?”

Lying down and resting her head on his shoulder, Elizabeth wrapped an arm around his waist and snuggled close. “I go home the day after tomorrow.”

“That’s not very long.”

He sounded so sad, all Elizabeth wanted to do was say that she would stay. But she couldn’t, especially considering this was supposed to be a work trip. “My boss already gave me extra time since we’re dating, but I have to get back to work.”

“I understand.” Rubbing her back, it was Chris’s turn to yawn. “I’ll come visit in a couple of weeks before filming starts again. I don’t think I can wait another month, or longer before I see you again.”

“How did I get so lucky with you?”

“Liz, you have it wrong. I’m the lucky one.”


	19. Surprises Aren't All Bad

2014

Elizabeth pulled her dress over her head, trying to be happy. It was Thanksgiving and unfortunately Chris couldn’t make it. He had plans with his family, so she knew that she shouldn’t be upset he wasn’t spending time with her, but still, all she wanted was to see him. Picking up her cardigan from the bed, she put that on as well, then slipped into her Louboutin’s. They were the only pair of heels she owned, the only pair she’d ever found comfortable.

When the door to her apartment opened, she called out, “Seb?” She wasn’t expecting anyone, but other than him, the only people with a key were her mother and Chris. Her mother was already at the Fruhauf’s, helping cook, and Chris was in Boston.

“Nope,” a deep male voice laughed from the main floor.

Rushing over to the railing, she looked down and saw Chris standing there, a huge grin on his face. “Chris,” she breathed. Turning, she moved as quickly as she dared down the stairs, running once she got to the main floor and jumping into his arms. “Chris!”

He caught her, hands on her ass, holding her tight against him as she peppered his face with kisses. As she wrapped her legs around his waist, he groaned, feeling himself grow hard from feeling her pressed against him. “Hey, Liz.”

She just kept kissing his face, over and over again, speaking in between each smack. “God, Chris… I’ve missed… you… so fucking much.” Pressing a kiss to his lips, she moaned when he pulled her harder against his hips, feeling the press of his cock against her now aching pussy. But she ignored her arousal, cupping his face with her hands. “I thought you couldn’t come. You were gonna spend today with your family.”

Chris started carrying her toward her studio area, until he had her back to a wall, pressing her against it, dropping his face to her neck. Biting down gently, he sucked her flesh into his mouth. Lifting his head, he looked into her eyes as he moved his hips against her, enjoying the moans erupting from her mouth. “We did it yesterday so I could fly out and come see you. My mother could tell how much I missed you, but she also knew that I wouldn’t leave when I’d already made plans to spend the day with them.”

“Lover,” she moaned. When she tried to move her hips, he just held her in place, still grinding against her. “Please… I want you.”

“How?” he said, voice deeper than usual.

“Don’t… care… However you want.” One of his hands slipped between them, fingers dipping inside of her panties to touch her aching clit. “Now!!” she insisted. “Please!!”

Removing his hand from her panties, he unbuttoned his jeans, pushing them down with his boxer briefs. God, he wanted to take off his button-down too, feel her skin against his, but all he wanted at that moment was to be inside of her. Sliding his fingers back between her panties, he pulled on them lightly. “Do you like these?”

Elizabeth gave him a quizzical expression. “Do I like what?”

“Your panties. Do you like this pair?” he repeated, grinning wide.

“Not any more than any other… why?”

He just kept smiling, chuckling lightly. Gripping the fabric, he pulled quickly ripping them off of her. “That’s why.”

Elizabeth couldn’t help it, she laughed too. At least, she laughed until the tip of his cock pressed into her. She gasped, trying to get him to push the rest of the way into her. “Please... Chris… More. I need more.”

Slowly, he pushed into her, making sure to watch her face for any hint of discomfort. But all he saw was arousal, her eyes fluttering shut as her head fell back against the wall. Moving his hands underneath her legs, he gripped her ass again and started to move, his hips pulling back slowly before he thrust forward.

God, every time Chris moved, it felt like her body was on fire. Every nerve ending in her body was overstimulated, humming with need as he fucked her. She dug her fingers into his shoulders, trying to find a hold so she could move and make him go faster. But he held her tightly in place, moving with the same rhythm. Out, deliciously slow, followed by a quick piston forward, sinking inside of her as deep as he could go. “Chris… please…” she begged, whimpering with need. “Fuck me. Please… fuck me.”

“You want it faster?” Chris started moving faster, feeling his balls tighten as his orgasm was approaching. But he did everything in his power to stave off his own pleasure, wanting her to come first. His hips moved faster and faster, pounding into her with everything he had. Placing his mouth by her ear, he moaned as her pussy started clenching down on him. “Come for me, sweetheart.”

Wrapping her arms around his neck, she held on as wave after wave of pleasure coursed through her, screaming as she came, “CHRIS!!” He kept fucking her, his thrusts becoming erratic as her pussy fluttered, the orgasm seeming to last forever.

Knowing his own orgasm was coming, he lifted his head and looked down at her, staring straight into her eyes. The small smile on her face triggered his release and he thrust forward one more time, sinking all the way into her as he came. His knees grew weak, but he continued holding her up as he softened, finally pulling out of her. Then, leaning his head toward hers, he kissed her softly. “That was some welcome.”

“Fuck, Chris.” Elizabeth giggled, feeling giddy after finding out her boyfriend had made the trip to New York to see her, then managed to fuck her senseless. “Feel free to do that to me anytime.” Patting his shoulder, she said softly, “Put me down, lover. I need to clean up and put on new underwear, then we need to head to Congers for dinner.”

“Congers?” he asked, setting her down gently.

“Yeah, Thanksgiving is at Georgeta's house this year.” Chris’s eyebrows furrowed and Elizabeth laid a hand on his chest. “Did I not tell you that?” He shook his head. “I’m sorry, I thought I had. Sometimes I forget who I tell what to. Every other year we do it at Sebastian’s parent's house if he’s in town. Last year was at my mom’s.”

Taking a deep breath, he smiled. Getting to see one of his best friends was a side benefit of dating Elizabeth. He’d long gotten over the feeling that they might like each other as more than friends, especially given how she reacted to his touch. “I’m gonna get cleaned up after you do,” he said, zipping himself back into his pants. “I need to take a fast shower and put on new pants. After sitting on an airplane for several hours, and then… you know, I should probably clean up so I don’t smell like sex.”

“Hmm, that’s a good idea.” Sliding her cardigan off her shoulders, she let it drop to the ground, then did the same with her dress. Reaching behind her back, she undid the bra and tossed it to the side before kicking off her heels. “Why don’t you join me?” she called over her shoulder as she headed to the bathroom.

Chris chuckled but started taking off his clothes as he followed after her. “Only you, Liz. Only you.”

\--------------------

Pushing open the door to the house, Elizabeth called out,  _ “Naşă, noi aici  _ (we’re here).”

A pair of footsteps came toward the front door, a deep voice asking, “Who’s we?” When Sebastian stepped into the foyer, he had to hide the sudden anger he felt at seeing Chris with his best friend. It wasn’t fair to anyone that he couldn’t get over his stupid obsession with Elizabeth. That his love had only grown stronger over the past few years, instead of dissipating when he started dating Margarita and she started dating Chris. The jealousy ate him up inside. His therapist told him that it was normal to feel that way, to not beat himself up for something he couldn’t control. Saying that you can’t control your feelings, only how you react to them.

Taking a deep breath, he plastered a smile on his face, intending to react as little as possible to the feelings that just wouldn’t go away. “Chris, I thought you were stuck in Boston with the family.” He pulled his friend into a tight hug, steeling his face as he did. When he turned to Elizabeth a soft smile ghosted over his lips before he pulled her into a hug. “Good to see you, Lizzie.”

“You too,  _ dulce băiat.”  _ She looked around, confused that Margarita wasn’t there greeting them too. “Where’s your girl?”

Sebastian shrugged. “Mar is out of the country, she’s working on a film and didn’t see the point in flying in just for a few days and screwing up her circadian rhythm. Jet lag kicks her ass every time she changes time zones.”

Chris looked at his friend, who seemed uncharacteristically fine with the fact that his girlfriend wasn’t there. He had also noticed the soft look on his face when he looked at Elizabeth, but it had passed so quickly, he wasn’t sure if he’d imagined it. Shaking it off, he grabbed Elizabeth’s hand. “Should we see if they need any help?”

Elizabeth patted his arm, disentangling her fingers from his. Standing on her toes, she pressed a kiss to his cheek. “I'll go see if Mom or  _ Naşă  _ need help. You and Seb grab a beer and catch up.”

Walking away from the boys, she headed into the kitchen, smiling when she saw her mother and Georgeta chopping up vegetables for the salad. The smell of food cooking made her stomach growl with hunger, seeing Chris had made her forget all about her plans to eat a snack before leaving her apartment. Reaching out onto the counter, she grabbed a slice of cucumber and plopped it into her mouth as the two women stared at her in mock-outrage.

“Hey, Mom,  _ Naşă.”  _ She took another cucumber, darting out of the way of Georgeta’s hand reaching out to smack her. “You guys need any help?”

“Ellie,” Angela chastised gently. “Stop eating dinner.”

“As your mother said,  _ dulce fată,  _ those are for dinner,” Georgeta added as she chuckled. “But, if you want to help, you can go talk to Anthony. He’s having a rare good day, and I know he’d love to see you.”

Sebastian walked into the kitchen, swiping a carrot off of the cutting board. As he ate it, Georgeta backhanded him in the shoulder and he laughed. “Sorry,  _ Mamă,  _ I’m just in here for a couple of beers.” He looked over at Elizabeth, gaze softening as he did. “You look happy, Lizzie.”

“I am,” she replied hesitantly. It’s not that she wasn’t happy, it was just that being around Sebastian confused her sometimes. When Chris was by her side, she had an easier time ignoring the spike of feelings that happened around her best friend. But when he wasn’t, she felt a mixture of feelings. Confusion, because her feelings for Sebastian and Chris were hard to differentiate between, and guilt, for having any kind of feelings for a guy other than her boyfriend. Taking a breath, she added in a stronger voice, “You should get your beers and go hang out with Chris. I’m sure he’s wondering where you are.”

Giving her a strange look, he nodded and went over to the refrigerator, grabbing out two beers. Opening them up, he looked at the three women standing around the kitchen island. “Let us know if you need anything.”

“I’m gonna go talk to Anthony,” she said, turning toward the door.

As she started walking through it, Georgeta and Angela shared a look. They had both spent years talking about the repressed feelings between their two children, but they knew who would be easier for Elizabeth to talk to. Georgeta followed her out of the room, grabbing her arm in the hallway, stopping her before she got to the door leading to Anthony’s office.  _ “Dulce fată,  _ what was that?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Elizabeth denied, looking anywhere but in her  _ naşă’s  _ eyes.

Sighing, Georgeta shook her head. “You don’t need to lie to me.” Reaching up, she turned Elizabeth’s face toward her. “I will never judge you for the way you feel, sweetheart. Never.”

“I really like Chris,” she murmured. “But…” Dropping her eyes to the ground, she stared at her feet. Taking a deep breath, she tried to sound certain. “No, there is no but. I really like him,  _ Naşă.  _ He’s sweet and kind... treats me like a princess.” Raising her eyes, she plastered a big smile on her face. “One day, that man is going to make an awesome husband. If I’m lucky…” She shrugged. “Maybe it’ll be with me.”

Georgeta pulled Elizabeth into a hug, rubbing her back. “I’m happy for you,  _ dulce fată.” _

“Thanks,  _ Naşă.”  _ Taking another deep breath, she pulled back and stood up straight. “Go back to the kitchen. I’ll spend some time with Anthony. I’ve… I’ve missed talking to him.”

Georgeta had to close her eyes to hide the sudden influx of tears. It wasn’t just Elizabeth who had missed her husband, she had too. After the Alzheimer's diagnosis, he’d had more good days than bad, but recently… it was like she was losing him and she didn’t know how to stop it. “I know, love, me too.” Rubbing her eyes, she turned back to the kitchen. “Go talk to him while he’s still lucid. It’ll make him happy.”

\--------------------

Taking a long draw of his beer, Chris settled back on the couch, eyeing his friend. When he and Elizabeth had interacted, a hot spike of jealousy had moved through him, something that he hated. But, at the same time, seeing Sebastian so unaffected by the fact that his girlfriend wasn’t there made him wonder what the hell was going on. “You know, Seb, I don’t know how you do it. I couldn’t stand the thought of not being with Liz today, and you’re totally chill about your girl being across the ocean. I’d be a wreck.”

Taking a deep breath, Sebastian ran a hand through his hair. He had to set the beer bottle down on the coffee table, thinking about his girlfriend being so far away on a holiday reserved for family, which made him realize how much he missed her. Leaning back in the chair, he looked up at the ceiling. “I’m not chill, Chris. Not even a little.”

Hearing the pain in his friend’s voice, Chris thought that maybe he’d judged him too quickly. “But you just seemed so… so normal. I thought…”

“Fuck, Chris,” Sebastian moaned. “I hate that she’s over there and I’m here. I tried to get her to let me come visit her, but…” Rubbing his eyes, he tried to contain his anxiety. “Man, I wish she were here. Everything would be so much easier.”

“Everything?”

Shit, he hadn’t meant to say it like that. Hiding how he felt about his Lizzie from Chris was one of the hardest things he ever had to do. It wasn’t fair to either of them. They deserved to be happy, even if it was with each other. “Just… you know… everything. The holiday, being around family, seeing you and Lizzie so happy… everything.”

Chris looked over at his friend, just realizing how hard this must be for him. Seeing him and Elizbeth together, happy, while his girlfriend was on the other side of the globe. He didn’t know what he would do if he couldn’t spend the day with his girl. Shit, that’s why he was there in the first place. His mother could see how miserable he was without Elizabeth, so she moved the day they were doing Thanksgiving, just so he could visit his girlfriend. “Fuck, I’m sorry.”

Sebastian lowered his face, sighing heavily. “It’s fine. Really. We both have jobs that keep us away from each other. I just… sometimes I wish that it wasn’t that way, ya know? Sometimes, I wish I was a normal guy, with a normal job and a normal girl. No fame, no fans, no…”

“Insanity?” Chris added, making them both chuckle.

“Exactly.”

\--------------------

Knocking on the door, Elizabeth pushed open the door to the office, face lighting up when she saw Anthony. Heading over to where he sat on a large leather armchair, she bent and hugged him. “Hey, it’s good to see you.”

Anthony gestured toward the chair next to his. Once she joined him, he grabbed her hand and said, “Elizabeth, I’m so glad you’ve come back to us. We really missed you the past few years.”

“What do you mean?” Her mind turned over, trying to figure out what he was talking about. “I was just here last weekend.”

Looking confused for a second, he shook his head, almost as if he were trying to clear his thoughts. “I know Sebastian hurt you, but he’s a good boy, really he is. You guys used to be such good friends, what happened?”

Fuck, he thought it was six years ago. She didn’t know what to do, telling him that it wasn’t 2008 wouldn’t help anything. Maybe, if she pretended to be the Lizzie he thought she was, it would keep him calm. “It’s okay, Anthony. We’re friends again. We just lost touch for a while, that’s all.”

Giving her a stern look, he argued, “You were crying your eyes out not that long ago. Don’t give me that. I’m not stupid.” Softening his gaze, he tried a gentler approach. “You know, that boy is crazy in love with you... has been for years.”

What?! Elizabeth honestly couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Could it be possible? Could Sebastian have been in love with her all those years ago and she was just too blind to see it? Reaching a hand up to her face, she rubbed her eyes, trying to hide the fact that his words had shocked her so much. It was something she couldn’t believe. She refused to believe it. He had Margarita in his life and they were happy. Every time she saw them together, she saw the smiles they gave one another, the soft look Sebastian would get in his eyes. It wasn’t possible she’d missed out on having him as more than a best friend, because it wasn’t possible he ever felt that way.

Even on the off chance that he did, she was happy. She was happy with Chris. He made her smile and laugh, treated her better than any other guy she’d ever dated. There was no way in hell she’d ever risk losing what she had on the off chance that Sebastian liked her. On the off chance he loved her. The worst thing would be if she left Chris, with whom she was very likely to fall in love with, only to find out that Sebastian didn’t feel that way. It wasn’t worth risking the possibility of love, the possibility of losing her boyfriend or her friend, based on the word of a man who got things confused in his mind.

So, she said the only thing that could potentially appease Anthony. “I’ll ask him about it.”

“Good.” He smiled then yawned. “Will you tell Georgeta I’m going to take a nap? I just got tired all of a sudden.”

“Of course.” Helping him out of the chair, she led him down the hallway to their bedroom. Giving him a soft hug, she breathed in the calming scent of peppermint from the man that felt like a second father to her. “I love you, Anthony.”

“I love you too, sweet girl.”

When he went into the bedroom and shut the door, Elizabeth leaned against the wall, taking several deep breaths. She hadn’t thought that seeing Anthony would be like a punch in the gut. Over the years, she’d concluded that her love for Sebastian would never be realized. It had made it that much easier for her to let Chris into her life, into her heart. But hearing Anthony say what she’d longed to hear come from Sebastian’s mouth since before college made her feel nothing but guilt. It ate at her, making her feel horrible. Chris deserved so much better than someone that couldn’t get over feelings she’d thought had been buried.

Walking down the hallway, she headed toward the living room, stopping in the archway to look at the two men she cared about. They were smiling and laughing, talking about the next Captain America movie that was due to start filming soon. Moving toward them, she waited until Chris noticed her, then sat down on his lap sideways, wrapping her arms around his neck. Giving him a soft kiss, she looked in his eyes, feeling content when she saw the happiness reflected back at her. “You guys having fun?”

Chris wrapped his arms around her waist, burying his face into her neck. He didn’t reply, but heard Sebastian say, “Yeah, we’re having fun.”

“Dinner!” Angela called from the kitchen.

Climbing off of Chris’s lap, Elizabeth held out her hand to him, her smile growing larger when he took it. “We should head in.” Turning her head toward Sebastian, she smiled at him as well. “Come on, Seb, I think I smell  _ sarmale.  _ I know that’s your favorite.”

Sebastian’s heart skipped a beat when she looked at him with that soft look on her face. The guilt at this feeling made him frown, but he quickly plastered a grin on his face. “Well, then let’s go sit down before my mother comes looking for us.”

They headed into the dining room, Elizabeth still holding Chris’s hand. When she saw Georgeta, she let go and went over to her, laying a hand on her arm. “Anthony decided to take a nap.”

Georgeta heard something in her voice, so she asked quietly, “Did he say something?”

“He… I…” Swallowing hard, she looked over at Chris who was sitting next to Sebastian. “No, he didn’t,” she lied. “He was just a little out of it, that’s all.”

“Oh,  _ dulce fată,  _ I’m sorry.” Georgeta could read between the lines, realizing that Anthony must have said something to upset her. But at the same time, she wasn’t going to push. “Go sit down, your mother and I have everything under control.”

When she did, holding Chris’s hand under the table, they sat there in silence while the mothers finished bringing out the dishes of food. Once they sat down, Georgeta held out her arms and everyone joined hands, bowing their heads. Elizabeth still felt weird praying, having grown up in a completely secular household, but she’d gotten used to it with how often she visited the Fruhauf residence.

After the prayer, Chris picked up his glass before they started to serve the food. “In my family, it’s tradition to go around the table and say what we’re thankful for.” Grabbing Elizabeth’s hand with his other, he pressed a kiss to the back of it and stared into her eyes. “I’m thankful for this gorgeous woman. In the four months we’ve been together, I’ve never been happier.”

Sebastian felt a pang of jealousy shoot through him. Both of his best friends looked so happy. Elizabeth’s eyes shone as she looked at Chris, both of them had matching sappy looks on their faces. Listening to Chris say those things about her made him wish he’d taken the chance and told her a long time ago how he felt. The second that thought crossed his mind, he felt like shit. God, feeling this way wasn’t fair to any of them. Not Chris, not Elizabeth, and sure as hell not Margarita. Maybe this would have been easier with her by his side. Then these feelings wouldn’t be rearing their head at the most inopportune moment.

“She’s made my world a better place. I can’t believe how lucky I am to have met her.” Chris looked over at Sebastian. “And I’m thankful for Seb. He became my friend quickly on set and he’s the reason I even met Liz.” Turning back to her, he pressed a kiss to her hand again. “I’m so happy to have met you.”

Elizabeth had to blink back tears. Everything he’d said had just reinforced her desire to choose him. Reaching up with her free hand, she rubbed at her eyes, trying to hide the wetness seeping onto her cheeks. “Well, I know what I’m thankful for. I’m thankful that Seb introduced us. Because if he hadn’t, I wouldn’t be the happiest I’ve been in a long time.” Reaching up, she laid a hand on his bearded cheek. “I’m the lucky one."


	20. Nightmare

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this chapter was actually inspired by a song - Lips of An Angel by Hinder. I don't know if it flows well with the storyline, but I hope you enjoy it anyway.

2015

Chris looked down at the gorgeous woman sleeping on the bed, wondering how he had gotten so lucky. It had been almost a year since they started dating. Ten months and thirteen days, to be precise. They hadn’t said those magic three words to one another yet, and he wasn’t sure they ever would. Did he love her? Yes. She was perfect for him. Sweet, caring, fantastic in bed… and the most important thing, she had her own life and didn’t need to be attached at the hip all the time.

Still, there was always a niggling at the back of his brain, telling him that it was too good to be true. That it would come to an end. Not because of anything she said or did, because she really was perfect, but because he had a sneaking suspicion that Sebastian had feelings for her. Now, his best friend was dating Margarita, whom he professed to love, so maybe he was reading too much into it. But every once in a while, there would be this look in his eyes and that niggling feeling would come back.

Sitting down next to Elizabeth, he traced his fingers on her bare back, then leaned over, pressing a kiss in between her shoulder blades. She stirred and turned over, bare breasts on display. He groaned, “Fuck, sweetheart. You are too gorgeous.” Chris leaned over and kissed her gently, making sure not to run his thumbs over her nipples like he wanted to. “I have to go, my flight leaves in a couple of hours.”

“Do you have to?” she asked quietly, even though she knew the answer was yes. He had booked the red-eye so he could spend more time with her but had an early morning appointment in California with some studio execs that couldn’t be missed. At least he had no layovers so he could hopefully get some sleep on the plane.

Chris groaned again, resting his forehead against hers. “I’m already pushing it.” Another quick kiss and he stood up. “I’m going to go before I end up back in that bed with you.”

She yawned and rubbed at her eyes. “Go, before I pull you in and snuggle to help me sleep.”

Chris looked down at her one more time, at the wisps of brown hair that had fallen out of her braid, curling around her face. Unable to stop himself, he leaned over and kissed her thoroughly, then pushed away, grabbing his suitcase. “I’ll text you when I land. Sweet dreams.”

\--------------------

_ Walking down an alley, Elizabeth could feel the dampness in the air. Everything was dark, every sound intensified. Drip… drip… drip… Water flowed from a gutter, hitting a puddle with eerie regularity. The sound of someone whistling had her looking over her shoulder, terrified of what was coming. _

_ She couldn’t see anyone behind her, but the whistling started to get louder, accompanied by the sound of footsteps growing closer. Breaking into a run, she rushed to her front door, trying to get her key into the lock. Her keys fell to the ground as a muffled laugh sounded behind her. _

_ Scrambling to pick them up, her breath came out in short gasps as she tried again to insert the keys into the lock. After what seemed like hours, the key slipped in and she opened the door, slamming and locking it behind her. _

_ As soon as she started walking into the house, she realized it wasn’t her apartment. Everything looked strange, too much like Sebastian’s childhood home. Even the photos on the mantle were of Sebastian and his family. The smell of pennies hit her nose and fear bubbled up inside her. The front door started to shake as whoever had been following her twisted the handle, laughter could be heard, deep and low. _

_ Elizabeth felt terror like she never had before, as she moved quickly through the house. The smell of pennies grew stronger as she went upstairs. Stopping in front of what looked like Sebastian’s door, her entire body shook, heart pounding in her chest. She reached for the doorknob, turning it slowly. _

_ As the door opened, the smell became overwhelming. Stepping into the room, she felt the carpet squish beneath her feet, the squelching noise sending shivers down her spine. She reached for the light switch, but nothing happened. _

_ Slowly, she walked toward the bed and saw a figure lying on top of the comforter. The smell of pennies grew even stronger and when she stood only inches from the bed, she could tell that the comforter was soaked with something. She reached for the lamp on the nightstand, switching it on. _

_ The first thing Elizabeth noticed when the light came on was the blood that was everywhere. The picture of slave Leia that had graced Sebastian’s wall when he was fourteen had blood splattered across it. The floor was completely covered, as was the bed. She felt numb, unable to look at the face of the person lying there to figure out who it was. _

_ Taking a deep breath, her gaze moved to the face of the body, and immediately her entire body seized up. “Mommy?” Tears started to run down her face as she stared at her mother’s corpse. She fell forward, her body landing on top of her mother’s, blood soaking through her thin shirt. _

_ Footsteps sounded behind her, but she didn’t look to see who it was, not caring about anything other than the fact that her mother was dead. An evil dead voice said, “You missed one.” _

_ Turning her head, she saw a robed figure with a black gaping hole where his face should be. He stood just outside the room, pointing down the hall. She followed the skeletal finger, feet moving down the dark path. She pushed open the door at the end, opening it to a bedroom that hadn’t existed in Sebastian’s childhood home. The smell returned, carpet squelching beneath her feet. Terror raced through her body, she didn’t want to see who it was. _

_ Her shaking hand reached for the light switch, flipping it on. When the light hit the body on the bed, she felt her knees give way and she fell to the floor. It couldn’t be him… it couldn’t be. Her gaze moved from the floor, back to the bed. The dark hair framed his face, blue eyes open and cloudy from death. _

Sitting up in bed, Elizabeth laid a hand over her racing heart, tears streaming down her face. She couldn’t catch her breath, every time she tried she only managed to breathe shallowly before the terror had her exhaling again. Picking up her phone, she looked at the time. It was two in the morning, Sebastian would be sound asleep.

Shaking her head, she went to call Chris, her boyfriend. The dream had made her forget all about him, her focus only on the fact that she found her mother and best friend dead. Calling his number, she started crying harder when it went straight to voicemail. She had forgotten about his flight. He wouldn’t be landing for another few hours.

Her heart started to beat faster as she shook, starting to feel dizzy from being unable to breathe steadily. She knew that she shouldn’t call Sebastian, it wasn’t fair to him. But she needed to talk to someone.

\--------------------

The phone buzzed on the nightstand and Sebastian reached for it, seeing Elizabeth’s name on the screen. Margarita groaned next to him, wrapping her arm around his waist. “Sebby, ignore it, they can call back later.”

He turned in her arms, kissing her forehead. “I’m sorry, Mar, I’ve got to take this.” Carefully, he extricated himself from her arms, tucking the blanket around her. “Go back to sleep, I’ll be back in a little bit.”

Walking out of the room, he answered the phone as he shut the door, “Lizzie?”

“Seb,” her voice was raspy and hoarse. Sebastian could hear the despair and misery in that one word.

“What’s wrong,  _ iubita?” _ He didn’t even mean to call her sweetheart, it just slipped out. But even crying, hearing her say his name made him weak. All he wanted to do was go to her, pull her into his arms, and love her until the end of time. But she was dating his best friend and he had Margarita. “Baby girl, please, what’s wrong?”

She kept sobbing, her breathing irregular. He sat on the sofa, staring at the door to his bedroom. If Margarita knew what he was doing right now, she would break up with him in an instant. She didn’t like Elizabeth, not believing that men and women could be friends without it turning sexual. He had tried to explain to her that they’d been friends for twenty years without having sex, what made her think this would be any different? She didn’t answer him, instead, ignoring him for two weeks until he sent her three dozen red roses apologizing. Why he was the one apologizing, he didn’t know, but he did. The only reason he didn’t break up with her was that she tolerated their friendship, not actively trying to stop him from seeing her. If she had ever told him to stop talking to his Lizzie, he would leave her in an instant.

_ “Iubita,  _ I need you to breathe for me. Listen to the sound of my voice.” He slowed his breathing, hoping that she would match it. “Breathe in for me, just like that. Now breathe out, slowly. One… two… three… four. Good girl, do it again, for me.” He waited while she breathed in and out, the sound ragged but slowing.

After several minutes she was still sobbing quietly, but her breathing had regulated. “Seb,” she whispered.

That voice made him miss her even more. They didn’t see each other as often as he would like. She had Chris, he had Margarita, and they both had careers that kept them busy. But every time he saw her, all he could remember were the times he kissed her. The first time in eighth grade at the party, the second at the park when she made him do the famous sailor pose, and the third before college. Not that any of those times had taken much convincing.

Over the years, her full lips had become luscious, blossoming as she did. Once he had seen her hair down, it took all his strength and willpower to not tangle his fingers into the light brown curls. She was still the most beautiful woman he had ever known, even if she would never actually be his.

“What can I do, baby girl? Tell me.” He listened to her cry, wishing like hell that he was alone because then he would drop everything to go over to her apartment and hold her in his arms. “Lizzie, what happened?”

“Seb,” the way she breathed his name made his heart ache with longing. “The dream… oh god, the dream… you… my mother… blood.” Her sobs came out harder, breathing growing ragged once again.

_ “Iubita, _ it’s okay. It was just a dream. Please, baby girl, I know it’s hard, but I need you to slow down your breathing for me. Please,” he pleaded with her, trying to get her to calm down. After several more agonizing minutes, he tried again, “What happened?”

“I had a nightmare,” she whispered. Her voice still shook with tears, but her breathing had evened out enough that he could tell she was calming down. “Chris is on a plane right now, heading back to Cali, and I’m all alone.” She choked back a cough. “It was so bad, Seb. There was blood everywhere. My mother… God, and you… you were both dead. I couldn’t take it, Seb. I can’t lose you.”

“Oh, baby girl,” his heart broke for the woman on the other end of the phone. Their relationship had its ups and downs, just like everyone else. But a few months ago, when he saw Chris and Elizabeth together at one of her gallery displays, the fact that he was in love with her came rushing back. Realizing he was in love with her the night he moved in had been one of the hardest things for him to live with, but he had pushed it to the dark recesses of his mind, trying to ignore it. But that night, he couldn’t think of anything else other than the fact that he was madly, deeply in love with the girl his best friend was dating. “You will never lose me. Never! I’m with you till the end of the line,  _ iubita. _ Now and forever.”

She chuckled through her crying and he wanted to cheer. Quoting from his movies had always brought a smile to her face. “Did you really just quote Captain America to me?”

“Maybe,” he answered cheekily. “Is it working?”

“God, Seb,” she heaved out a sigh. “It was so awful. My first thought was to call…” When she didn’t finish the sentence, he wanted to ask who she was going to call, but she kept going, “But then I tried to call Chris and it went to voicemail and I remembered he was on the red-eye back to Cali. I’m so sorry for calling you so late. I know you have an early morning, but I needed… I needed someone to talk to.”

_ “Iubita,  _ I’m here whenever you need me. Day or night. All you have to do is call.”

“I wish I could curl up in your arms, Seb.”

He had to stop himself from offering to go over. They had spent so many nights wrapped in one another's arms, it made it difficult to distance himself from her emotionally. She had been the only one who could calm him down after breaking up with Leighton and finding out his dad had Alzheimer's. Not to mention the fact that he had been flat broke at the time.

Over the years, she had become a touchstone for him. Someone who offered comfort without asking for anything in return. All he wanted to do was return the favor. But, around the time he had started dating Margarita, they had stopped being quite so close. Even though it pained him, he had to say it, “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

“I know.” His heart broke at her soft words. “Margarita is there right now, isn’t she?”

“Yeah.”

“Does she know you’re talking to me right now?”

“No.”

She let out a breath, “Fuck, Seb. What am I, your dirty secret? We’re friends, not lovers. What the hell is her problem?” Her anger had taken over the pain, and even though he hated it when she was mad at him, it was better than listening to her sob.

“Mar is jealous of our relationship, you know that.” He tried to reason with her. “She doesn’t get the same thing with me that I have with you.”

“I miss you, Seb.”

She finally sounded better, and the way she breathed his name sent the ache straight back to his heart. If she had been there with him, he would have pulled her into his arms and kissed her. Screw Chris and Margarita, he wanted to know what it was like to be with someone he truly loved.

“Seb?”

“Sorry, baby girl.” He really had to stop using pet names with her. She either hadn’t noticed yet or was ignoring it. But if he kept doing it, he might accidentally say it at an inappropriate time. “Are you okay now?”

Elizabeth yawned, “I’m better. Not sure if I’m okay, but I’m better. Thanks for letting me unload.”

“Seriously, Lizzie, anytime. Day or night. I don’t care what I’m doing, I will answer my phone for you.”

“How did I get so lucky with you, Seb?”

“I don’t know,” he joked. In truth, he was the lucky one. Even when he was at his worst, she had been there for him. Even when he ignored her for years, she didn’t hold it against him. “You will never lose me. I care too much about you to let anything come between us again.”

He heard a light sound on the other side of the phone and whispered, “Lizzie?” Her breathing evened out and he realized she was asleep. He said under his breath, “I love you.” When no response came from the other side of the phone, he hung up and got off the couch.

After his meeting in five hours, he would have to call his therapist. He would help him figure out what to do about this. Of course, his therapist’s advice would be to tell Elizabeth how he felt and he knew that was not the right answer. She loved Chris, was happy with him. He couldn’t be the one to break them up.

Crawling back into bed with Margarita, he pulled her into his arms, pressing his front to her back. She sighed against him and he tugged her closer. Even though he wasn’t in love with her, he did love her in his own way. Pressing a kiss to her shoulder, he closed his eyes, falling into a restless slumber.


	21. Break Up

2015

As Chris picked up his duffel bag from the baggage claim, he smiled. It had been two months since he and Elizabeth saw each other last, making him even more excited to finally be able to spend a long weekend with her. But first, he needed to go and see Sebastian, get his opinion on a gift he had purchased for her. He knew he couldn’t match their friendship, after all, they had known one another for twenty years, but he could use it to his advantage.

Climbing out of the cab, he hefted the bag over his shoulder and went inside. It didn’t take long after he knocked for Sebastian to answer. As he was waved inside, Chris dropped the bag on the floor and pulled his friend into a crushing hug. “Seb, damn man, it’s good to see you.”

“You too, Chris.” Sebastian pulled back and opened the door wider. “Come on in. You want a beer?” He walked to the fridge and got two out, opening them without waiting for a reply. It was the same thing they did every time one of them visited the other. Backbreaking hug, ask if they want a beer, have one and talk about the women in their life… if they had one at the time. Neither of them was currently looking for a woman to marry, but with the way that Chris and his Lizzie acted around each other, Sebastian was fairly confident that they would end up together forever. It was a knife to the heart that just kept twisting, forcing him to hide the pain every single time he had to be around them.

As Chris sat on the couch, his friend handed in a beer, taking a seat in one of his oversized chairs. “So, I need your help.”

“What’s up?”

“I got a gift for Liz, but I’m not sure if she'll like it.” He pulled a velvet bag out of his pocket, not noticing the frown on his friend's face. When he tossed it to him, the frown had been replaced by a blank expression. As Sebastian pulled the item out of the bag, Chris explained, “The last time I was here, we went and saw  _ Phantom of the Opera _ and she loved it. I know how much Liz hates it when I spend money on her, so it wasn’t that expensive, but when I saw it I just had to get it.”

Sebastian looked at the silver half mask pendant dangling from a silver chain. Yeah, Elizabeth hated when people spent money on her, even him. It probably had something to do with being raised with little to no spare money. She tended to view gifts as a waste of money. He put it back in the bag before tossing it back to Chris, all the while trying to keep his face impassive. “Yeah, she’ll love it.”

As Chris put the bag back into his pocket, he watched his friend’s expressions shift. The niggling came back, that incessant feeling at the back of his brain that Sebastian felt more for Elizabeth than he let on. Instead of beating around the bush like he normally did, he just came out with it. “Are you in love with Liz?” His friend's eyes widened, shock crossing his features. “Fuck, I knew it. Goddammit, Seb.” Running a hand through his hair, he sighed. “How long?”

Sebastian didn’t answer, he couldn’t. He just stared at his hands, twisting them together as he tried to calm himself down. What he wouldn’t give to be able to admit how he felt, but it wasn’t fair to his Lizzie, nor his best friend.

“How long?” Chris repeated. It all made sense now. The awkwardness when he and Elizabeth started dating, the way they looked at each other when the other wouldn't notice during the Captain America premiere. He couldn’t say that he was surprised, Sebastian had always talked about Elizabeth like she hung the moon, long before he’d ever actually met her. “Look, man, I’m not upset with you. I’ve always kind of thought…”

Whipping his head up, Sebastian stared at his friend, the deep frown on his face creating deep creases in his forehead. “What?!”

Sighing, Chris took a long draw from his beer. “Before Liz and I started dating, I thought you guys had feelings for one another. In fact, if you hadn't pushed us together, I was going to suggest that you should date her.” He noticed the changes on Sebastian’s face, from disbelief to anger to sadness, back to the face he made when he was trying to hide his emotions. “But after she and I got together, I guess I just didn’t think about it anymore.”

“I love Margarita,” he responded quietly.

“But you love Liz too.”

“I love Mar,” he repeated. Lifting his bottle, he downed the beer in one long swallow, then let out a soft belch. It let him take the glass in his hands, twisting it around without spilling all over himself. “Besides, it doesn’t matter what I feel for Lizzie. I’m dating Margarita and Lizzie’s dating you. Do you really think I would want to come between you guys?”

“Seb…”

“She doesn’t feel the same, so it doesn’t matter.” Carefully, he placed the bottle onto the coffee table and looked up at his friend. “You guys are good together. You make her happy, Chris. Happier than I've seen her in a long time.”

Sighing, he placed his bottle on the table as well and stood up. “Sebastian, I’m just going to say this once. You’re an idiot. Liz is a great girl and I never want to hurt her, but I don’t love her like she deserves.” Grabbing his bag, he looked down at his best friend, wishing he could wave a magic wand to make this easier on all three of them. “I’m going to go over there and end things with Liz.  You need to tell her how you feel.  Don’t let another moment go by without being with the woman you love.” He held up a hand to stop Sebastian from arguing. “Yeah, I know, you love Margarita. But you’re not in love with her. She's not the one you want to spend forever with. You need to man up to your feelings for Liz or let her go. Because pining over a woman that you’ve loved for years is not a healthy way to live. Not to mention that it’s not fair to her either.”

He left his friend's condo before Sebastian could say anything else to him. Fuck, he knew this relationship would end eventually. They had been together for a year and still hadn’t said those three little words to one another. He loved her, but it wasn’t the kind of love either of them deserved. It still hurt to know they wouldn’t be together anymore, but it was past the time when they should have ended it.

When he got to her apartment building, he had to steel himself against the range of emotions bubbling to the surface. While he knew this was the end, he couldn’t help but feel a little sad that this was it. Using the key she gave him, he let himself into her apartment. Smiling when he saw her at her computer, long curly hair in a messy bun, hunched over editing her photos. 

He set his bag down quietly, snuck up behind her and wrapped his arms around her. When she squealed, he chuckled, “Hey, sweetheart. Having fun?”

Elizabeth got out of the chair and gave him a tight hug. “God, Chris, I missed you.”

“I missed you too.” He pressed a kiss to her forehead before releasing her. “We need to talk.” Looking around, he cursed the fact that she didn’t have a couch like a normal person. “Come on, let’s go upstairs.”

He went up the spiral staircase, knowing she followed. As he sat on the edge of the bed, he waited for her to sit by him and took her hand in his. “We’ve been together for just over twelve months now...”

Elizabeth smiled, her face softening. “I know.” She turned, lifting her other hand to cup his face, brushing fingers over his thick beard. “Best year I’ve had in a long time.” When he frowned, she started to get concerned. “Honey, what’s wrong?”

“Do you know why we haven’t said… you know… yet?” Chris stared into her hazel eyes, unsure if he should do this. But he wanted his best friend and his girl to be happy, so he was willing to do whatever necessary to see it happen. “Because I care about you, so fucking much, but…”

“But what?” She could hear the hesitation in his voice, unsure what it meant. “Whatever it is, you can tell me.”

God, he didn’t want to hurt her. “You know you’re my girl, right?” She nodded and he sighed, pressing his cheek closer to her hand. “I think we should break up.”

She pulled her hands back, not wanting to be touching him right then. Tears welled in her eyes, a headache building as she tried to keep them from spilling. “Why? I don’t understand. God, Chris, I’m happy with you. I thought you were happy with me.”

“I was… I am…” He reached for her, dropping his hands when he saw her face blanch. “God, Liz, do you think I want to do this? All I want is for you to be happy.”

“I am happy.”

“Fuck.” Falling back on the bed, Chris laid a hand over his eyes, rubbing the bridge of his nose. He knew this was a bad idea, and to be honest, he still wasn’t sure how to do it. But it needed to be done, no matter how much it hurt. “I’m going to ask you something, and please be honest. Do you love Sebastian?”

She answered truthfully, if not completely, “Yes. But he’s my best friend and has been for most of my life. Of course I love him.”

“That’s not what I’m asking.” Moving his hand, he looked up at her from his prone position. “Are you in love with him?” When she didn’t answer right away, he sat up and grabbed her hand. “I’m not going to be mad, Liz. I just want to know the truth, that’s it.”

“I…” Elizabeth wasn’t sure how to answer that question. She just started talking. “I… I’m dating you. I wouldn’t be with you if I…” Fuck, she couldn’t lie to him. “I haven’t thought of Seb that way in months. The entire time I’ve been with you, only you.”

“You love him,” he stated. “I thought there was something between you two before we started dating, but once we got together… Every once in a while, there was this thought at the back of my brain, that you guys loved each other.”

She started laughing, a bitter sound. “He doesn’t love me, not that way. And it doesn’t matter anyway, I’m with you. God, Chris, I love you.”

“That isn’t how I expected to hear those words from you.” Cupping the back of her head, he pressed a kiss to her forehead. “You know I love you too, right? But that love isn’t enough. You deserve the kind of love that makes you weak in the knees. The kind of love that wakes you with a smile each morning.” Pulling her against him, he rubbed her back, trying to stem the flow of her tears. “Sweetheart, you deserve better than me. You need to tell him how you feel, maybe he returns the feelings.”

She couldn’t help but choke out a bitter laugh. “He’s with Margarita, Chris. He loves her. Besides, if he felt anything for me, don’t you think he would have told me by now?” Lifting her head, she wiped at the tear tracks on her cheeks, trying to hide the fact that she’d been crying. “Why now, Chris? Why are you doing this now?”

He couldn’t tell her that he knew Sebastian loved her, it wasn’t his place to expose his friend's secrets. “Because, sweetheart, it’s not fair to either of us to stay in a relationship when we aren’t in love with one another.” She started crying again and he wiped away the tears with his thumbs. “Sweetheart, please don’t cry. I want you to have the world. You need to tell him.”

“But…”

“Even if he doesn’t feel the same, do you want to spend the rest of your life wondering? Do you really want to pine after someone for the next twenty years? Watch him get married, raise a family?” When she sobbed and fell against him, his heart broke for her. “Sweetheart, I’m sorry.”

Chris held her while she cried, rubbing her back, murmuring sweet nothings into her ear. After several minutes, she calmed down, feeling a little less broken. “It’s not your fault,” she mumbled. “I… I never meant to hurt you.”

“You didn’t.”

“Are you sure?” She pulled back to look into his blue eyes. “You know, when I was with you, I was only with you. Chris, you were never a replacement for Seb. Please tell me you know that?”

The sincerity in her words had him sagging in relief. That was the only thing he would have hated to know, that he was only a placeholder in her life for someone she would rather have. “I know,” he replied gently. “These last months were some of the best I’ve ever had. I wish that we could have been it for each other because you are perfect.” He cupped her cheek with his palm, grimacing when her eyes started to well with tears again. “I’m sorry, sweetheart. Please don’t cry.”

“Chris…” She wanted to kiss him, show him how much she cared for him, but that wouldn’t be fair to either of them. “Do you really think I should tell him?”

“I do. In fact, you should go over there right now and tell him exactly how you feel. Rip it off like a bandaid.” Standing, he pulled her off the bed and into his arms, hugging her tightly before pressing a kiss to the top of her hair. “Just do it. The worst that can happen is he doesn’t feel the same, and then you can move on. It’s better to know, sweetheart. I promise. Even if it hurts, it's better to know than to live the rest of your life wondering.”

“Alright.” Even though it would just confuse everything, Elizabeth lifted her hands and dug her fingers into his hair, pulling his head down. She kissed him, trying to forget that they were breaking up, that she was about to go to Sebastian’s and tell him the truth she had hidden for so many years. It was a goodbye kiss, full of all the feelings she had for Chris. When she pulled back, they were both breathing heavily but didn’t take the kiss further. “Can we still be friends?”

“I will always be your friend, Liz. Always. No matter what.”

\--------------------

Standing outside of Sebastian’s condo, Elizabeth stared at the door, debating on what to do. She had her key out, prepared to use it, but she couldn’t. Instead, she put her keys back into her purse and pressed the doorbell, waiting for him to answer the door.

The door opened and Sebastian looked at her, eyes wide. It took all he had to not pull her into his arms, to tell her everything. He saw that her eyes were rimmed with red and his first thought was that Chris had done it, he had actually broken up with her.

“Lizzie, what’s wrong?” Then he did pull her into his arms, one hand on her back, the other digging into her hair at the base of her skull. She shuddered against him but didn’t cry.

“Can I have a drink?” Elizabeth pulled back from him and they went inside.

Once they each had a drink and sat down on the couch, she grew shy, unsure if she should tell him. Chris had convinced her to do it, but now that she was there, she couldn’t. “Chris and I broke up.”

“I’m sorry,” he said softly. “Are you okay?”

“I’ve been better.” She took a pull from her beer, looking down at the bottle in her hands. “It’s not his fault though, he was right about one thing, neither of us was in love. I…” God, she wanted to tell him, more than anything. “I…”

Relief flooded Sebastian. Knowing she hadn’t been in love with his friend, that made him feel… calm for the first time in a long time. Those feelings were quickly overlaid with guilt. He loved Margarita and it wasn’t fair to her to tell Elizabeth how he felt, not yet. Not while he was still in a relationship with someone else. “You guys don’t love each other?” he asked instead, trying to keep the hope out of his voice.

“No, I…” She paused, not wanting to tell him the truth. It would hurt too much to find out that he didn’t feel the same way. So she settled for a half-truth. “He said we both deserve to find someone to have the perfect kind of love with. The kind of love that makes you smile each time you think of that person.” She lied, “I don’t have anyone that makes me feel like that, but I’m hopeful I’ll be able to find it one day.”

His face fell, but she was still looking down at her bottle so she didn’t notice. He cleared his throat to cover his grief at her confession. “You will.” Sebastian took the bottle from her, placed both of them on the coffee table, then pulled her into his arms. “Will you be okay?”

“Yeah,” she mumbled against his chest, enjoying the warmth of his arms wrapped around her. “I just didn’t expect this to happen tonight. We were supposed to spend the weekend together, it’s like it came out of nowhere.” Sighing, she closed her eyes, desperately trying to keep herself from starting to cry again. “I don’t know why he chose today to break up with me, do you? He’s your best friend, you must know something.”

Sebastian knew he couldn’t tell her the truth, not after she admitted to not having anyone to love that way. That meant she didn’t love him the way he loved her. Instead, he lied, even though it killed him. “I don’t know. He came over before going to your place, but he didn’t say anything.”

Something seemed weird with her friend, but she didn’t want to push him. “Okay.” Pushing away from his arms, she stood. “Thanks for always being my friend, Seb. I should probably go, it’s getting late.”

“You can stay if you want,” he offered quickly.

The idea of staying made her wish she had just told him. Even if he didn’t feel the same, maybe Chris was right, it was better to know than to pine for a man she could never have. It had already been twelve years since she realized she loved Sebastian. Nineteen years since the first time she realized she liked him as more than friends. But he had Margarita, and she would eventually find someone to love who would take his place in her mind. “No, I probably shouldn’t. But thanks for the offer.” She leaned over and pressed a kiss to his cheek, maybe lingering for just a moment too long. “You’re a good friend, Seb.  _ Te iubesc. _ ”

“ _ Și eu te iubesc _ .” As she walked out the door, he whispered, “Always and forever, Lizzie. Always and forever.”


	22. Never Have I Ever

2016 

“Lizzie, you made it,” Sebastian pulled Elizabeth through his open door and into his arms. “I thought you had a gallery opening,” he said, pressing a kiss to her cheek.

“I told Nick I wouldn't be there, my best friend wanted to hang out.” She took off her coat and meandered over to the kitchen, putting it over the back of a dining chair. Her purse she tossed onto the table right before another pair of arms wrapped around her waist, lifting her into the air, making her squeal.

Spinning her around, a deep voice said into her ear, “I’m glad you came too.”

When he put her down, Elizabeth turned around and gave Chris a proper hug. “How’s Ollie?”

“Have I thanked you for introducing us?”

"Oh, only a few dozen times," she laughed.

Chris grabbed her hand, pulling her toward the living room where Anthony sat in an oversized chair. “She’s doing great. Wished she could have come tonight, but she had to go out of town for work.”

When he sat down in the other large chair, she went over to Anthony and plopped down on his lap, draping an arm around his shoulders. “Hey, Mack-attack, how's tricks?”

Anthony kissed her cheek, laughing. “Things are good.” He looked over at Sebastian who was coming out with a bottle of rum in one hand, four glasses held precariously together with the fingers of the other. “Go sit with your boyfriend.”

Climbing off his lap, she glared down at him, tired of his teasing her all the time. Hand on her hips, she muttered, “He’s not my boyfriend.”

“Just go sit with him.” Anthony laughed again. “The couch will be more comfortable, and my wife wouldn’t be too happy with me if I let a beautiful girl sit on my lap all night.”

Sebastian handed a full glass of rum to Anthony and one to her. “He’s right you know, the couch would be more comfortable.” Then he picked up the other two full glasses, giving one to Chris before sitting down. Patting the cushion next to him, he grinned. “Come on, Lizzie, don’t be a spoilsport.”

Sighing, she sat down, leaning against him when he pulled her close. He pressed a kiss to her hair and she closed her eyes, wishing for one second that he loved her the way she wanted him to. When the silence got too awkward, she ended up doing what she always did when she didn’t know what to say, she spoke without thinking. “Let’s play a game.”

“A game?” Chris asked.

“Yeah, a game.” Taking a sip of her rum, she said quickly, “Never have I ever.”

“What are we, twelve?” Anthony gave her a look, taking a sip out of his glass. “But sure, I’m down. Why not? Could be fun.”

Chris nodded and she turned to Sebastian who had a cheeky grin on his face. With a laugh in his voice, he said, “Sounds like a good time. Mind if I go first?” She waved him on, curious to see what he would say. “Hmmm… Never have I ever… had a one night stand.”

Everyone took a drink, even Sebastian. Chris let out a loud laugh, right hand coming up to grab his chest. “You aren’t supposed to say ones you’ve done.” Then he sobered and looked at Elizabeth. “When did you have a one night stand?”

A flush crept up her cheeks and Elizabeth downed her glass, getting up to refill it. Once she sat back down, she rolled the glass between her fingers. “I was twenty, it was Halloween, he reminded me of… He was nice and I wanted to get laid. It wasn’t that great, we didn’t exchange numbers.”

“What did he remind you of?” Sebastian asked, genuinely curious.

“Doesn’t matter.” She took another sip. “It was thirteen years ago and I don’t regret it. There are other things I regret more than that.” Before Sebastian could interrupt like she knew he wanted, she said, “My turn… Never have I ever kissed someone of the same sex.”

“Does in the movies count?” Sebastian asked.

“Sorry man, but I’d say yes.” Anthony raised an eyebrow and took a sip of his drink. “I mean, I’m counting it.”

Sebastian took a drink and glared at Elizabeth. “Let’s leave work stuff out of it.”

“Fine,” she relented, then took a sip of her drink. When the guys looked at her wide-eyed, she laughed. “What? I experimented in college a bit. And I know Chris knows about Angie.”

“Ah yes, Angie,” Chris said with a smirk. “I remember her, distinctly.”

“Angie?” Sebastian’s brow furrowed. “Is that the girl who…”

“Yes,” she muttered, trying not to bemoan the fact he hadn't forgotten about how Angie had fingered her in the bar with him in front of her.

Taking pity on her, Chris interrupted, “Hmm… I think I’m next.” Taking a sip of his drink, he tried to decide what to say. He had been thinking about something for a long time, ever since he and Elizabeth had broken up. But he could never find a way to get Sebastian to admit his feelings out loud, her either. And to be quite honest, he was getting irritated by how obtuse they were being. “Never have I ever… lied to the person I loved.” Before anyone drank, he held up his hand. “And I’m not talking about a small white lie, because everyone does that.”

Elizabeth gulped down the glass in one swallow, then poured herself another, not noticing when Sebastian did the same with a frown on his face. She was already getting buzzed, not used to drinking so much. But she had lied so many times to Sebastian over the years. All those times she told him she was fine when she wasn’t, not telling him how she felt, pretending to like his girlfriends… She downed that glass and poured yet another one.

“Hey, chickadee, slow down,” Anthony warned. “We’ve got all night.”

“I’ve got another one.” The alcohol had loosened her tongue, making her more than willing to say the things that had been bubbling beneath the surface for far too long. “Never have I ever spent the better part of six months waking up with a hard-on next to my best friend.”

“Fuck.” Sebastian turned bright red as he downed his glass. “You knew about that? I thought…”

“What? That I was asleep? Honey, I let you believe that because I knew you would be embarrassed.”

Chris and Anthony exchanged a look. They had both been talking about how to get their friends to admit their feelings for one another. But this was just bringing up things that probably should be kept buried. Chris started to say, “Liz, I don’t think…”

But she just spoke over him. “I know guys get morning wood, but I had a king-sized bed and you were always wrapped around me every morning. I woke up every time you pulled me closer to you, groaning. It’s not like you were awake when you did that.” His face reddened even more. “Wait, were you?”

Without answering, Sebastian said, “Never have I ever called my best friend in the middle of the night to tell them about losing my virginity to a one night stand.”

“Fuck you,” she responded without heat, then gulped down her drink. “Never have I ever been a horny drunk.” When he didn’t take a drink, she narrowed her eyes. “Come on, Seb. I know you. Remember our birthday before college, when you kissed me? It was because…”

“I’m not a horny drunk,” he muttered. But not wanting to explain, he just took a sip of his rum anyway. How could he tell her that all he had wanted back then was her? How could he tell her that if his mother hadn’t interrupted them, they might not be friends anymore because he would have done something irredeemable? Instead, he came up with another one. “Never have I ever… learned a foreign language for someone of the opposite sex.”

This time, the only person to drink was Elizabeth. “Come on, guys, you all know I learned Romanian for Seb. I wanted to be his friend. And, I learned sign language for Eric, so technically I’ve learned two foreign languages for guys.”

“I don’t think that’s what he meant,” Anthony said softly.

Chris looked over at him. “Pretty sure they’re not paying attention to us anymore.”

“Yeah, I think they’re too busy trying to one-up each other.”

“Never have I ever gone out for McDonald’s after having sex.” Elizabeth felt triumphant until she saw the downcast expression on her friend's face. “Fuck… Ummm… Never have I ever…”

“No, it’s fine.” Sebastian took a sip of his drink. “I’ve told the story before, so it’s not a big deal. Just didn’t think you’d hold that against me.”

“Seb, I was… happy for you,” she lied.

He raised an eyebrow. “You don’t sound very certain of that.”

Downing the glass, she got up to refill it before retaking her seat, moving a little further away from him. “It was Amber, I didn’t like her. I had hoped that…”

“You had hoped that…”

“Never have I ever had a threesome.” All three of the guys drank, but she only had eyes for Sebastian. “Really, Seb? You never told me that.”

“It was college. I experimented.” He threw her words back at her. “Never have I ever promised my firstborn for nudes.”

Downing her drink, she refilled yet again and drank that glass too. “You know what, you know too many secrets.”

“How is that a secret?” Sebastian took a little sip of his drink, not wanting to get as plastered as Elizabeth obviously was. “You promised me your firstborn child in exchange for taking nude pictures. You know, you still haven’t made good on that promise.”

“You took nudes?” Anthony sounded intrigued. “Do I get to see these?”

“You can’t tell they’re him,” she mumbled. Getting defensive, she stumbled over her words, “Besides, you… you can’t even see… it’s not like I saw his… fuck.”

“She’s trying to say she didn’t see my dick, Mackie.” Sebastian shrugged away the questioning looks from his friends. “It was just after the Captain America premiere. She asked me to model for her. Not a big deal.”

“And this was after you guys lived together for six months?” Chris asked.

“Yeah.”

Sighing, Chris held up a hand before anyone else could say anything. “My turn.” He looked right at Elizabeth, praying she wouldn’t get mad at him. “Never have I ever been in love with my best friend.”

This time, she didn’t even bother filling up her glass. She just picked up the bottle and took a big swig before sending a glare Chris’s way. “What the fuck? You are supposed… you weren’t… why did you… Fuck you, Chris.”

“Lizzie,” Sebastian’s voice was quiet. When she turned to him, tears in her eyes, he scooted closer to her and lifted a hand to her face, thumb rubbing her cheek. “Who?”

“Fuck.” She took another swig out of the bottle and decided to go for broke. They’d been friends for twenty-one years, it was finally time to be honest. “You, Seb. It was always you.”

“Lizzie…” His heart broke. Could he have been with the woman he loved for so long? How had he never noticed? “Since when?”

“Birthday… before college…” She pulled away and took another swig of the bottle before Anthony pulled it out of her hand. “Was gonna tell you… you said kiss was a mistake… I couldn’t… you didn’t… Years, Seb.” Tears poured down her cheeks and her stomach heaved. Bringing a hand over her mouth, she stood, heaving again. Running to the bathroom, she made it in time to throw up in the toilet.

Sebastian sat there, stunned. Giving him a knowing glance, Anthony gave him a piece of advice, “Tell her how you feel, Seabass. Life’s too short to hide it.”

“But I have…”

“Margarita,” Chris finished for him. “Yeah, we know.” Standing, he laid a hand on his friend's shoulder. “Tell her anyway and then make a decision. Liz, or Margarita? You can’t have both.” Waving to Anthony, they started toward the front door. “And Seb, take care of her. Liz is special. Try not to hurt her.”

Once they were gone, he got off the couch and went into the bathroom, seeing his Lizzie laying on the floor passed out. Carefully, he picked her up, carrying her to his bedroom. Setting her on the bed, he crouched down next to her and tucked a lock of curly hair behind her ear. Even though she was asleep, he still admitted, “I love you too, Lizzie.”

\--------------------

Elizabeth’s head was pounding. Every movement she took just made the ache worse. Fuck, why had she downed so many glasses of rum the night before? Especially since she rarely drank. But drinking had seemed like an easier solution than staying sober while admitting those things.

Sitting up in bed, she remembered everything that had happened. She had told Seb she loved him... that she fell in love with him years ago. Fuck, fuck, fuck. Where was he? This was his bed, but he wasn’t here. When she heard his voice, she stood, swaying slightly. Her stomach still felt a little funny, but at least she had thrown up before falling asleep so it wasn’t too bad.

Creeping out into the living room, she saw Sebastian standing in front of his window on the phone, running a hand through his hair. “I’m sorry, Mar… You know I love you… It’s not enough. Don’t you want someone who will love you the way I… I’m sorry, what else do you want me to say?... Don’t ask me to do that. I never meant to hurt you… Really, Mar? It’s not like you are madly in love with me either…” He leaned his head against the glass, heaving a great sigh. “I know… I just didn’t realize that she… Fuck…”

When his fist hit the window and he swore in Romanian, Elizabeth started walking over to him. “Mar, I did love you, I do love you. Just not enough. I thought it would be enough, but I finally have the chance to be with the girl I fell in love with years ago. I’m not going to let that pass me by… I really am sorry… I know, Mar, me too.” He hung up the phone and hit the window again, cursing.

“Seb,” Elizabeth whispered.

His head whipped around and he stared at her in shock for a minute, before a slow smile crossed over his face. “Lizzie…” The phone fell to the floor, forgotten, and he pulled her into his arms, burying his face into her hair. “God, _ iubita,_ after all this time.”

“Did you just break up with Margarita?” She had to know. If this was her only shot to be with him, she needed to know if he was free.

Pulling back, he cupped her face with his hands. “Yes. For you.” He pressed a soft kiss to her lips. “I love you, Elizabeth Gray. I have since that night you told me to move in with you, probably longer if I’m being honest with myself. But that night is when I realized it. I just never knew...”

“That I loved you back.” She chuckled and pressed her lips against his again. “Why do you think I never told you?”

“Would you have told me? If I hadn't been a dick and said the kiss was a mistake.”

“Do you really want to play what ifs?” Wrapping her arms around his waist, she pressed her cheek against his heart, listening to it pound steadily. “I love you, Sebastian Stan. Always have, always will. It was always you, Seb. The guy I lost my… He reminded me of you. I wished he had been you.”

“Fuck, _ iubita,_ I regret…”

Pulling back slightly, she reached up and laid a finger over his lips. “No regrets. I’m single, you’re single. Let’s see where this goes. I’m willing to risk everything to be with you. Are you?”

“Fuck, yes,” he captured her lips again, kissing her more thoroughly this time. “I want to wine and dine you. Take you out on a date. Tonight.”

“That’s the best idea you’ve had yet. Just don’t expect me to be easy, Mr. Stan. I don’t put out until at least the third date.”

“I’m pretty sure we’ve already had at least three dates.” He chuckled. “Do you know how many times I wanted to fuck you into your mattress when we lived together? Every. Single. Fucking. Morning.”

“Do you know how many mornings I woke up, panties soaked because your cock was pressed against my ass?” She looked up into his blue eyes, smirking. “Every. Single. Fucking. Morning. But I’m still not sleeping with you tonight.” Pulling away, she looked at the clock. “Annnnd… I have a client meeting me at my apartment in two hours. I need to get home, shower, and set up. Pick me up at seven?”

He grabbed her arm, pulling her back in for another searing kiss. “I’ll be there, with bells on."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> All I have to say is FINALLY!!! I hope this chapter lived up to your expectations for how they would finally confess.


	23. Ideal Date

2016

Putting on a pair of jeans and a pink blouse, Elizabeth ran her fingers through her hair, attempting to bring some order to the riotous curls. Her head still ached a bit from the previous night, but she didn’t let that deter her from her plan to enjoy every moment of her time with Sebastian. It was a scary proposition, finally getting to be with the man she’d dreamed about for years, so she was a little bit nervous to see him again. What if he’d changed his mind? Shaking her head, she tried to clear those thoughts from her mind. He gave up Margarita for her, the woman he’d been with the longest out of everyone he’d dated, he wasn’t going to change his mind.

When the doorbell rang, her heart started beating faster, the nerves getting to her. Elizabeth’s feet were plastered to the ground, eyes trained on the door. She must have been standing there for too long, because the doorknob turned and Sebastian entered, looking worried. 

“Lizzie, are you okay?” He walked over to her, reaching up to tuck a lock of hair behind her ear. “Sweetheart, what’s wrong?”

The concern in his voice snapped her out of the daze she was in. Taking a deep breath, she smiled. “I’m just a little nervous. I’m finding it hard to believe this is real. That I really get to go on a date with… with you.”

“Fuck, Lizzie, I’ve been pacing the floor all day trying to burn off my nervous energy.” Chuckling, he stepped closer to her. “I had to call my therapist just to help me calm down.” Placing a hand on her hip, he drew her closer until he could lower his head and kiss her gently. “Remember what you said to me earlier? No regrets. While I might wish we could have had more of the past twenty years together, I don’t regret having you as my friend. We don’t need to be nervous, it’s just like any other night, except I get to do this,” he kissed her again, this time deeper.

When they parted, Elizabeth finally felt calm. “I love you, Seb.”

“I love you too, sweetheart.” Stepping back, he looked at what she was wearing. “That’ll do.”

“Excuse me,” she joked, placing her hands on her hips. “I’ll have you know I look fantastic.”

“You always look fantastic. I just meant…”

“Seb, it’s okay.” Laughing, she walked away to grab her purse and slip on her heels. “You know me better than anyone, you know I don’t do fancy if I can help it.” Slipping her arm through his, she herded him toward the front door. “All I want is to spend time with you, I don’t care what we do. As long as it’s not expensive, because I don’t want to change.”

“Don’t worry. I have a plan.”

\----------

Almost an hour later, they sat on the edge of the pier, Elizabeth’s shoes on the dock next to her, eating cheese pizza. The lights of the pier made it too difficult to see the stars, but just the fact that she could sit next to Sebastian made it all worth it. Placing her crust back in the box, she wiped her hands on a napkin then scooted closer to him, resting her head against his shoulder as she twined her fingers with his. “This is perfect.”

“Sorry we couldn’t feed the pigeons, but it’s a little late to be in Central Park.”

Sitting up, she turned to look at him. “You remember?”

Raising an eyebrow, he gave her a look. “Of course I remember your ideal date. I remember everything about you. Although, I would be willing to be your idea of a perfect date has changed since you were eighteen.”

“Not really,” she denied, shrugging. “My ideal date is being with a person who makes me happy. That’s all I care about if I’m being completely honest.”

“So, going to a gay bar and getting fingered by Angie, that doesn’t make your top ten?” Sebastian made sure to inject a note of humor into his voice so she would know he was just joking.

“God, Seb,” she groaned, hiding her face behind a hand. “I can’t believe you knew what was happening.”

“Shit, Lizzie, how could I not?” Pulling her hand from her face, he trailed a finger down her cheek. “That was quite literally the hottest thing I’ve ever seen, and I didn’t even get to see that much of it.” Leaning closer, he placed his mouth by her ear, his voice lowering to a husky growl. “Fuck, all I wanted to do was watch her get you off… No, that’s not entirely true.” His fingers worked their way down her shirt, brushing lightly over her nipples until they reached the apex of her legs. Rubbing lightly against her jeans over her clit, he continued, “I wanted to be the one to get you off, to feel you clench down on my fingers as you came. But watching her touch you…”

Elizabeth placed her hand over his as she groaned, stopping the movement. “Seb,” she pleaded, “Dates first. I don’t want to jump into this too fast.”

“Fuck.” Not moving his hand, he dropped his forehead to her shoulder. “I’m sorry, Lizzie. I just… I’ve loved you for years, been attracted to you for even longer than that. It feels like we’ve already had our dates.”

Pulling his hand away, she lifted his face, keeping her finger under his chin. “Never apologize for wanting me.” Standing, she slipped on her shoes and held out her hand to him, waiting for him to grab it and the pizza with the other. Once he had stood as well, she started walking them away from the pier. “You’re right…”

“Of course I am,” he interrupted, laughing lightly.

Smacking his arm lightly, she gave him a faux glare. “If you would be so kind as to let me finish…” After he laughed again and nodded, she continued, “You’re right that it feels like we’ve already had our dates. If it were up to me…”

Stopping on the sidewalk, he turned to look at her, expression serious. “Lizzie, I’m not going to force you into anything. If you want to wait, we’ll wait.  _ Te iubesc, iubita.” _

_ “Și eu te iubesc _ ,  _ dulce băiat.”  _ Taking the pizza box, she walked over to a trash can and laid it on top before heading back over to her date. Elizabeth wrapped both arms around his neck, staring up into his blue eyes. “I don’t want to wait, that’s the problem.” She pulled his head down and kissed him softly. “But as much as I’d love to take you back to my place and have you the way I dreamed about every morning when you lived with me, I think we should make sure we’re going to last before…”

“Lizzie,” he yanked her closer, cutting off her words. “We don’t need to have sex for me to know this is forever. I have never felt like this before, not with any woman I’ve ever been with. Fuck, I know I shouldn’t talk about other women, especially on a first date, but…” Sebastian took a deep breath. “I thought I was going to marry Margarita. You had Chris and I was… I was happy enough with her. But after last night, I can’t even fathom the thought of being with anyone but you. You, Elizabeth Gray, are my forever. It may be corny to use a  _ Captain America  _ line, but I’m with you till the end of the line,  _ iubita.  _ Always and forever.”

A tear rolled down her cheek, but instead of trying to hide it, she let it fall. Stepping out of his arms, she pulled him down the sidewalk, unable to speak. It took a few minutes of walking before she could talk again. “How can you be so sure?” she asked quietly.

“I love you,” he replied, shrugging. “It’s as simple as that.” They reached her apartment building and he stopped them in front of the entrance. Threading his fingers into her soft curls, he smiled. “We’ve been friends for twenty-one years. Even during our time apart, I knew that if I needed something you would be there. I’m not worried about losing you, because if me being an obtuse asshole didn't destroy our friendship… shit, if being in love with each other for years couldn’t tear us apart… finally getting to be with one another isn’t going to stop it.”

His words unleashed something inside of her and she grabbed his hand, pulling him toward her as she backed up until her back hit the wall. Letting go of his hand, she grasped his shirt in her fists and yanked him forward, then reached up to pull his head down for a searing kiss. Kissing him with a passion that she hadn’t felt in a long time, she lifted a leg and wrapped it around his waist, holding his hips against hers so she could feel his hard cock pressing against her core, causing her to moan.

Sebastian lifted a hand to her breast, rubbing his thumb over her achingly hard nipple. Fuck, he couldn’t resist rocking his hips, pressing himself even more fully against her. Moving his mouth away from her tempting mouth, he dropped a line of kisses down her jaw to her neck, before sucking the flesh of her neck beneath her ear into his mouth, biting down gently. He groaned, “Fuck,  _ iubita.  _ We should stop.”

Trying to gasp out a response, Elizabeth held him tight to her, rubbing her aching clit on his hard cock. All she wanted was to reach down, slip a hand inside his pants, and convince him to fuck her right then and there. She moaned, “Please, Seb. God, please.”

Carefully extracting himself from her embrace, he adjusted the front of his pants, trying to make it a little more comfortable. “Baby girl, I…”

Fuck, she really didn’t want to wait. Lifting a hand, she laid it over his heart, feeling the fast pace beneath her fingertips. “Do you want to…”

“More than anything, but my answer is still going to be no,” he said with a smile. “I know that you don’t want to rush this so we’re going to wait, at least until date three, okay?” After she nodded, he gave her a chaste kiss and sighed. “I’m gonna go home before I change my mind.” Stepping back, he gave her one last look. “I can’t believe I get to say this, so I’m going to say it again. I love you.”

“I love you too.”

\----------

Sagging onto his large couch, Sebastian laid an arm over his eyes. It had taken all of his willpower to not go upstairs with her, to throw caution to the wind and give her the kind of pleasure that she deserved, but he didn’t want to push her. Moving too fast had fucked up a few of his relationships, and this was one relationship he didn’t want anything to mess up. Instead, he pulled his phone out of his pocket and dialed someone he knew would empathize with him.

“Seb, you had better be calling to tell me you broke up with Margarita or I’ll…” the voice on the other line sounded more serious than he ever had.

“Well, Chris, if you’d give me a chance to talk, maybe I could tell you what happened.”

Chris’s normal jovial tone came back instantly. “I’m all ears.”

“I broke up with Mar this morning. You were right…”

“YES!!!” Sebastian had to pull the phone away from his ear, his friend's exuberant reply causing him to wince. “I knew it!!”

“You didn’t let me finish.”

“Sorry,” he muttered.

“You were right. It wasn’t fair to Lizzie, or to Mar, to not make a decision.” Taking a deep breath, he just came out with it, “Lizzie and I had our first date tonight.”

“How did it go?”

\----------

Elizabeth kicked off her shoes by the door and trudged up the stairs to her loft. All she wanted to do was run back down to the entrance and stop Sebastian from leaving. To pull him up the stairs to her large bed and ride him until they were both exhausted. As much as she wanted that, they were going to wait. Taking off her clothes, she climbed under her covers naked and called Olive.

“Hey, Liz.”

“Hey, Ollie.” Staring at the ceiling, she quickly said the words out before she lost her nerve. “Seb and I went on a date tonight.”

“What?!” Ollie gasped. “Wait, can you please repeat that? I’m not sure I heard you correctly. Did you just say that you and Sebastian, the man you’ve been pining after for years, finally went on a date?”

“I haven’t been pining after him for years,” she denied.

“Honey, you’re my best friend, I know you almost as well as he does. You’ve been pining.” Before Elizabeth could interrupt, she added, “I know you weren’t pining while you dated Chris, you don’t need to convince me of that. I know how much you liked him, even if he wasn't your forever guy. Best friend, remember? But Sebastian has always been the one you could never have. I’m really happy for you, Liz. Besides, if you haven't dated Chris, I wouldn’t be with a guy that makes me happier than I have been in a really long time. Now, tell me everything.”

“Well, it all started last night…”


	24. First Time

2016 

Walking down the streets of New York City hand-in-hand with Elizabeth, Sebastian sighed happily. They had just left the restaurant on their official third date and even though there was no spoken expectation that today would be the day they would finally take their relationship to the next level, he knew it was on her mind. It had been on his ever since the conclusion of their second date. Unbeknownst to her, he’d enlisted Olive’s help in setting up his condo with a romantic atmosphere. Ever since Elizabeth had confessed that her first time was a one-night stand that reminded her of him, Sebastian had been plotting how to make up for such a shitty experience. His Lizzie deserved to be wooed and romanced, and that’s exactly what he planned to do. 

Fingers intertwined with the love of her life, Elizabeth leaned against Sebastian and lifted the other to curl it around his bicep. Three dates. It had been three dates. Their second date had been fairly simple, just a light picnic in Central Park where they’d fed the birds. It was something she'd always wanted to do with a date, but could never find someone willing to do something so mundane. Being in public had also helped with their desire to rip one another’s clothes off, the public eye cooling their ardor because you never knew when someone would be taking a picture of Sebastian. His popularity was the only real downside to dating someone famous.

But on this night, their third date, she'd spent most of the time at the fancy restaurant staring at him in that charcoal gray suit and sky blue shirt, wanting nothing more than for him to lift her onto the table, glide his fingers up her thighs as he lifted her dress, then fuck her in front of everyone. Screw propriety. It had been all she could think about since they started dating, not to mention all the years before. But when she was actually allowed to want him, allowed to fantasize about him... it had become one of her favorite pastimes. Enough so that she had trouble concentrating at work. If he turned her down tonight, she didn't know what she would do. 

As they neared his condo, Elizabeth stopped and turned to face him, fingers still intertwined, the other coming up to cup his cheek, thumb rubbing over the smooth skin. “I love you, Seb.”

“I love you too, sweetheart.” Leaning forward, Sebastian placed a gentle kiss to her lips. “Is it just me, or does it still feel unreal that you and I get to be together?”

“Sometimes, when I wake up I think it's all a dream.” Stepping closer, she lowered her voice to a husky growl. “But then I remember and I wish that you were waking up next to me.” Letting go of his hand, she undid the first suit button, then the second. “I remember all those nights, you lying next to me, wishing I could touch you.” She pushed open to the jacket, stepping into his embrace, resting her hands on the sides of his stomach. “Then I remember waking up next to you, your hard cock pressed against my ass, my pussy dripping wet, wanting nothing more than to beg you to fuck me.” Lowering one hand to the front of his pants, she could feel how hard he was and it only served to turn her on more. “It's our third date.”

Groaning, Sebastian reached down and grabbed her hand, pulling it away. Pressing another soft kiss to her lips, he twined their fingers together and started walking towards his condo. “It is our third date. But we don't have to do…”

“If you turn me down, I might scream,” she pouted.

He laughed, then inserted the key into his front door. Pushing it open slightly, he moved out of the way and gestured for her to go in first. Here's hoping that Olive had been able to create what he’d imagined. “Don’t have to worry about that, _ iubita.” _

When Elizabeth stepped into the condo, her jaw dropped. Scattered in a path on the floor were delicate red rose petals, just enough to look romantic. Some music piped into the background, something jazzy she’d never heard before. Her heels clicked against his hardwood as she walked in, not even noticing as the door shut behind her, lock sliding into place. 

Following the trail of petals, she stopped at the entrance to his bedroom when she saw what was laid out before her. On the bed were more rose petals, shaped into the outline of a heart. On the nightstand were two long-stemmed glasses, next to those a bucket where a bottle of champagne chilled. Hands came around her waist, Sebastian pressing his body against hers, and she leaned back. A solitary tear rolled down her cheek as she murmured, “What's all this for?”

Turning her in his arms, Sebastian threaded his fingers into her hair and kissed her gently, trying to put all his love for her into the kiss. When he pulled back breathless, he rested his forehead against hers. “I wanted our first time to be special, something for you to remember and replace what you had before.”

“Seb,” she breathed. “I just want you. Not all this, just you.”

“I know.” Pulling back, one side of his mouth quirked up into a grin. “But I'm allowed to spoil you now because you're mine.” He dragged a kiss over her cheek to nip at her ear, whispering in a husky voice, “And I plan to spoil you all damn night.”

“Seb…” It was barely a whisper, but she knew he could hear the pleading behind the word when he groaned softly in her ear.

Taking a step back, Sebastian forced himself away from the temptation of her arm and spun his finger in a circle. “Turn around, sweetheart.” When she did, he moved closer and pressed a kiss to her shoulder as his fingers found the zipper and dragged it down slowly, fingertip grazing her flesh with the lightest of touches. Sliding his hands under the fabric, he trailed his hands up her back and pushed the garment off her shoulders until it slipped down her body to the floor. Cock twitching in his pants, he groaned. God, even though what she wore covered more than a typical bikini, just the fact that it was her underwear and he was allowed to see it made him hard as a rock.

“Seb…” she groaned as his fingers found her bra clasp, unhooking it. As it slid off her shoulders as well, falling to the ground, she shivered. Starting to turn, she was stopped by his hands grasping her shoulders. “Seb,” she whined, the sound almost a moan.

“Take off your shoes and go lay down on the bed, sweetheart.” Pressing another kiss to her back, he pushed her toward his king-sized mattress. As she climbed onto the bed on all fours, he swallowed a groan, her ass hugged deliciously by the lace hipsters she wore just made him want to bury his face between her thighs. Once she flipped onto her back, spreading her legs and trailing a finger over the crotch of her panties, he couldn’t contain the groan.

“Take off your clothes, Seb,” she commanded, trying to make her voice firm. “You get to see me, I wanna see you.”

He had already taken off his jacket and was undoing his belt as she spoke. Raising an eyebrow, he stilled his hands. “Oh, do you want to see me?” Slowly, he slid the belt out of the loops, dropping it to the floor and stepping forward as he toed off his shoes. Undoing the button of his slacks, he lowered the zipper then undid his shirt, one button at a time, watching her eyes follow his fingers. Taking off the shirt, he also dropped it to the ground then moved his hands to his pants. “Do you want me to take these off?” He lowered it an inch, hooking his thumbs in the underwear as well.

“Seb…”

The need in her voice had him quickly shucking off both items, but he paused a moment, cock twitching as her tongue darted out from between her lips. Walking over to the nightstand, cock bobbing from side to side, he opened the bottle of champagne, pouring a glass and taking a sip. Elizabeth groaned again and he chuckled, setting the flute down and climbing on the bed between her legs. Laying on top of her, cock nestled between her thighs, he kissed her thoroughly, moaning into her mouth as her hands dug into his hair, pulling him closer. 

Pulling back, he took a couple of deep breaths. “God, Lizzie, you’re so beautiful.” Sitting back on his heels, he lifted her legs so he could put them together, then dragged the lace hipsters off of her before spreading them once again. As much as he wanted to look her over, he kept his eyes on her face, enjoying the desperate expression. Leaning over to the table, he retrieved the slightly filled glass of champagne. Moving back over her, being careful not to spill on the bed, he kissed at her neck, then moved his mouth over her flesh down to her breasts. Tongue circling her nipple, he drew it into his mouth, teeth biting down slightly. Her back rose off the bed and he had to ease off or the drink would get everywhere. “Careful, sweetheart. Wouldn’t want the bed to get wet,” he chided playfully. “At least not with champagne.”

“Seb…” She moaned and reached out to him, trying to draw him back to her. “I need you.”

“Soon, sweetheart.” Pressing a kiss to the space between her breasts, he sighed happily. “God, I love you.” Pushing up until he was over her, he moved the glass to a few inches above her chest and tilted it slowly.

“What’re you doing?” Elizabeth eyed the tipped glass with suspicion. When the cold liquid hit her flesh, she gasped, pussy clenching with need. It pooled between her breasts before trickling down to her stomach, pooling in the divot of her belly button. She watched as he set the glass aside, then he moved back and his tongue darted against her stomach, sucking both the champagne and her flesh into his mouth. “Fuuucccckkk,” she groaned.

Sebastian just chuckled, continuing to lick at her skin, making sure to kiss and suck as he moved up between her breasts. One of his hands disappeared between her thighs, fingertip brushing against her clit. When she whimpered, moving her hips against his hand, he slipped a finger inside of her, then another. As his mouth latched onto a nipple, he moved his fingers in and out of her, thumb rubbing against her clit.

“God, Seb…” she whined, trying to fuck herself on his fingers. Her whimpers grew as pleasure built low in her belly, her hands gripping his hair, holding him against her breast. When his teeth sunk into the flesh around her nipple, just enough to apply pressure, and his tongue flicked against the tip, she came, back arching off the bed as she gasped, unable to say a word.

Slowing his hand, he pulled it out of her and pressed soft kisses down her body until placing one to the inside of one thigh. She groaned and thrust her hips toward his face, but he just grinned and kissed the inside of the other thigh. Using his fingers, he spread her pussy lips apart and let out a guttural moan when he saw the juices dripping out of her pink hole. His mouth watered, wanting nothing more than to lick her to a screaming orgasm.

Lowering his head, his tongue darted out, licking a stripe from the bottom of her wet slit up to her clit. Fuck, she tasted better than he could have ever dreamed. Settling himself on the bed, he wrapped his arms under her thighs and started licking and sucking, moaning as he rubbed his cock against his comforter. Each time his tongue swept over her hard clit, her hips bucked and he had to hold her down, intent on lavishing as much pleasure on her as he could. 

Laying her hands over his, Elizabeth’s fingernails dug into his skin as her eyes screwed shut, the sensations almost overwhelming. When his mouth latched on her clit, sucking on it, another orgasm ripped through her. “SEB!!!” she yelled, body undulating as waves of pleasure shot through her. His mouth kept suckling, tongue flicking against her, drawing out the orgasm, her pussy clenching repeatedly as loud moans erupted from her. Reaching down, she dug her fingers into his scalp and pulled lightly. When his lips left her with a pop, she begged, “Inside me. Now. Please. Fuck me.”

Removing his arms from underneath her, he moved up and ran his fingers through her hair, then pressed a gentle kiss to her lips, not deepening it until she initiated it. Kissing his Lizzie was one of his favorite things, something he’d dreamt about for years. Getting to finally have sex with her was up there too, but being able to love her the way he’d always wanted to felt more satisfying.

Without disentangling his lips from hers, he reached between them and grabbed his cock, lining up the head with her entrance. Slowly, he pushed in, groaning into her mouth at the snugness. Fuck, her warm heat was tight, her pussy still fluttering from the previous orgasm, and he had to force himself to think about anything else to keep from coming as he bottomed out. Lifting his head, he stared into her eyes. “You doin’ okay?”

Running her hands on his back, she grabbed his ass and pulled him as close as she could get him. “Fuck me,” she demanded.

Pulling out slightly, he pushed back in slowly. “No, _ iubita, _I’m not going to fuck you.” He did it again, just as slow and deliberate. “I’m going to love you.”

Over and over he moved within her, the sensation maddeningly erotic. He fit perfectly inside of her, stretching her just enough that she could feel every inch of him, but not enough that it was painful. The part that really got her was him staring into her eyes. It wasn’t the sex that made the connection between them more real, it was getting to see the love he had for her so evident on his face that made her realize what she’d been missing out on all those years. Closing her eyes to keep from crying, she took a deep breath then opened them again.

Grasping his head between her hands, she stated, “I love you, Sebastian, but I need you to fuck me. Please.” 

Pulling out, he thrust back in hard, grinning at her moan. “What, like this?” He did it again, groaning as her pussy clenched down on his cock. When her fingers dug into his biceps, eyes fluttering shut, he started pounding in and out of her, hips pistoning as hard and fast as he dared. He could feel himself getting close, so he ordered, “Rub your clit, sweetheart. I want you to come with me.”

Moving one hand to her throbbing nub, she barely brushed it with her fingertip and came screaming his name, the orgasm more intense than the previous two. His hips started stuttering against her and he thrust in one last time, moaning her name as he spilled into her before falling against her. As he slipped his softening cock out of her trembling heat, he pressed a soft kiss to her shoulder then rolled to the side, pulling her against him.

“Holy shit, sweetheart.” Sebastian ran a hand down her face, sighing contentedly. “God, I love you so much.”

Turning so she faced him, Elizabeth stared into his eyes, the warm feeling in her chest growing as a smile crossed over her face. “Seb, that was better than I ever could have dreamed.”

“Yeah?” he asked tentatively. “Better than…”

Laying a finger on his lips, she stopped his question. “We are not going there. Ever. I love you, dummy. Even if it was the worse sex I’d ever had - which it wasn’t, considering I came three times - it would still be the best because it’s with you.”

“I love you,” he said again.

“And I love you. But we need to get cleaned up because I can feel rose petals between my butt cheeks and stuck to my back, and I don’t know about you, but my chest is kinda sticky from the champagne.” Climbing out of bed, Sebastian walked around to her side and picked her up bridal style, laughing as she wrapped her arms around his neck. “Sebastian, what are you doing?”

“Did you think the night was over?” Carrying her toward the bathroom, he smiled down at her. “We’re gonna have a long, warm bath, then we’re gonna drink some champagne, then see how we’re feeling.”

Twirling a piece of his hair around her finger, she bit down on her lower lip, enjoying the guttural groan that escaped from his mouth. “Well, I know what I want.” After he lowered her so her feet could rest on the floor, she stood on her tiptoes and pressed her mouth by his ear. “First, I want to get on my knees and suck you until you beg me to stop. Then,” reaching down, Elizabeth gently wrapped her fingers around his twitching cock, “I’m going to ride you until my thighs are sore.”

“Fuck…” Pulling her against him, Sebastian kissed Elizabeth deeply. _ “Iubita, _as long as you give me time to recover, we can go as many times as you’d like tonight.”

Eyes sparkling, she tilted her head up. “Promise?”

“I would give you the moon if I could.”

“God, I love you.” She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling herself up to his eye level, then pressed a soft kiss on his lips. “So, what’s this about a bath?”


	25. Sexting

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In honor of Anthony Mackie's 42nd birthday, I figured I'd give you guys the next chapter early.  
Here's to having your age be the answer to life, the universe, and everything.

2017

Rubbing her hips against Sebastian, Elizabeth grinned when she felt his hard cock pressing against her ass. She loved waking up with him like this, especially because of what would inevitably follow. He would pull her closer, then lift her shirt and slide down her underwear until it was completely off her body. Pulling down his boxers just enough to free his cock, he would lift one of her legs and enter her from behind, fucking her slow and deep. When she couldn’t take it anymore, she would pull away and flip him onto his back, tossing a leg over his hips and fucking him hard and fast until they both came. Whether it be at her place or his, their intimate routine made mornings her favorite part of the day.

Unfortunately, that wasn’t the plan for today. When he groaned and pulled her closer, she lifted his hand from her stomach, scooting from the center of her king-size bed and sitting up. “Morning, love.”

Sebastian reached for her, frowning when she stood and chuckled. “Come back to bed,” he pouted.

“I’ve got a shoot at Cosmo today, remember?” While she did have to go in for a couple of hours, it wasn’t the only thing she had planned for the day. Ever since he’d confessed about the time he found her vibrator, she had wanted to surprise him at home, but that was hard with both of them working all the time. However, he was off for the week and she’d only scheduled a couple of small shoots, nothing that would take her away from her love for very long.

Sebastian glanced at the clock. “It’s a little early.”

Forcing herself not to grin, she finished pulling on her jeans and t-shirt before grabbing the bag she’d packed for the day. Bending over the bed, she gave him a gentle kiss. “I have to set up for the shoot. I should be home for dinner, do you want me to stop and pick up a pizza from Joe’s on the way home?”

“Sure.” Flopping onto his back, he tried to ignore the erection that strained his boxers. “Don’t work too hard.”

Taking a glance at the laundry basket, she let the corners of her mouth quirk up into a smile. “Can you do some laundry while I’m gone? I wouldn’t ask, but I’m running low on underwear.”

Mouth opening in a yawn, Sebastian nodded. “Sure thing,  _ iubita.” _

\----------

A few hours later, Elizabeth sat in the coffee shop, having put on a lace negligee under her clothes at Cosmo. She’d even put on her Louboutins, wanting to complete the fantasy. Taking a sip of her hot chocolate, she texted Sebastian,  _ How’s it going, my love? _

_ Just folding the laundry now,  _ he replied.

Sighing in relief, she crossed her legs and leaned back in the chair. For her plan to work, he needed to be putting away the clothes, just like last time. God, her clit ached just thinking about the surprise waiting for him in the drawer. Maybe if she was lucky, he would use it on her.

_ Holy fuck, Lizzie! Are you trying to give me a heart attack?  _ His text was accompanied by a picture of the new dildo she’d purchased. It was smaller than he was, and she hadn’t gotten a chance to try it out, but it was silver and red with veiny ridges that would rub her innermost spots in just the right way.

_ Not a heart attack.  _ The next thing she sent him was a picture she’d taken in the magazine’s bathroom of her without her t-shirt, holding it in front of her body like a shield.

_ Iubita… fuck… _

Sending him the next picture, this one without the shirt.  _ Are you enjoying yourself yet? _

In response, she got a picture of him laying on the bed, hard cock in hand. That meant it was time. Taking her cup over to the counter, she set it down and headed back to her apartment. The coffee shop was only a short distance away, so it would only take her a minute to get there.

_ Fuck, sweetheart, I wish you were here.  _ Another picture arrived, this time of his face, blue eyes hidden by his blown-out pupils.

_ Me too. _ She stopped outside the door, wanting to give him another something to think about. The last picture she sent was of her - still in her bra and jeans - with her hand down her pants, rubbing her clit.  _ Enjoy. _

\----------

Sebastian looked at the last picture she’d sent him, then laid the phone down on the bed, slowly stroking his cock. Fuck. He’d been horny since she left, not getting their usual morning fuck to help satiate his desire. From the picture she’d sent, he could tell she was feeling the same. That look she got in her eyes when she wanted him, it was the same look he’d seen staring out at him through the screen.

When the door opened, his eyes shot open, hand stopping the movements. The telltale sound of her heels clicked across the floor, then started up the stairs. He knew exactly what she would see, his hand on his cock, precum weeping from the tip. As she crested over the top stair, he saw her curly hair unbound, hanging over her shoulders like a cape. God, he loved her hair.

Stopping at the top of the landing, Elizabeth brushed her locks over her shoulder, giving Sebastian a soft smile. “Hey, lover.” As he stroked his cock, she moved a hand to the front of her pants, rubbing gently. “Fuck, you look so good right now.”

When she didn’t come closer, he climbed off the bed and sauntered over to her. “Lizzie, what are you doing?”

She kept rubbing herself through her pants, the feeling only turning her on more. “Remember a few months ago? You told me about the time while you were living with me and you…”

Touching her face, he threaded his hands into her hair and pulled her face toward his. “Is that what the dildo was for? You wanted to recreate that day?”

Pressing a quick kiss to his lips, she sank to her knees, looking up at him. “I’m going to suck your cock, unless you have an objection to that?” When he didn’t say a word, she rested one hand on his hip and lifted the other to his cock, grasping it so she could lick a stripe from the base to the tip. Quickly, she swirled her tongue around the head, then backed off. “Feel free to grab my hair,” she winked, “you know I like it.”

Sinking his hands into her hair, he held on while she took him all the way into her mouth, humming and bobbing up and down. He could never get over how gorgeous she was, whether she was all dolled up, wearing sweatpants, or nothing at all. Even though they’d been together a year, he was still in shock that he finally got to love her how he’d wanted to for years.

He could feel a tightening low in his belly, so he gripped her hair and pulled lightly, stopping her movements. She just looked up at him, a mischievous look in her eyes, and continued to suck, tongue moving back and forth against the tip. “Fuck, Lizzie.” He pulled on her hair a little harder until she released his cock. “I don’t want to come in your mouth, sweetheart.” Reaching down, he added, “Stand up for me.”

Using his help to get back to her feet, Elizabeth wiped at her lips with her thumb, then sucked it into her mouth, giggling at his groan. She playfully pouted, “But I wanted to get you off.”

“Don’t worry, sweetheart, we’ll get there.” Looking her up and down, he suggested, “Maybe you should get out of those clothes.”

Taking a step back, she stepped out of the heels, chuckling when his lower lip stuck out. “I’ll put them back on… patience.” First, she unbuttoned her jeans, then pushed them down and off. She wanted the full reaction of him seeing the lacy negligee she bought for just this occasion. Slipping her fingers under the t-shirt, she pulled it up slightly. “Should I take this off?” He groaned and she pulled it up further, showing the see-through black lace on her stomach.

Not wanting to wait, Sebastian grabbed the bottom of her shirt and pulled it the rest of the way off, stepping back just far enough that he could look at her completely as she slipped her heels back on. Absolutely none of her body was hidden by the lacy lingerie she wore - not the light pink of her areolas, nor the neatly trimmed brown hair between the juncture of her thighs. “Holy fuck,  _ iubita.” _

“You like?” Elizabeth ran her hands up her body to cup her breasts, rubbing her thumbs over her hard nipples.

Taking a step closer, his voice lowered to a husky growl. “Turn around.” When she did and he traced a finger down her spine. “Walk over to the dresser and place your hands on it.” He watched as she followed his command, deliberately swaying her ass as she did. As her hands rested on the chest-high piece, he sank to his knees behind her and pressed a kiss to her luscious derriere. “Spread your legs for me, sweetheart.”

Pussy clenching at his words, she separated them a bit and leaned forward, giving him access. She’d expected him to want her to take off the negligee, see her completely nude, but when he didn’t she was surprised. Then his finger slipped into the crotch and pulled it to the side and his mouth was on her, sucking and licking. Every stroke of his tongue brought her closer and closer to the precipice, fingers digging into her hips to keep her from moving too much.

As he sucked her clit into his mouth, she moaned, “Fuuuuccccck.” One of his hands disappeared from her hip and two fingers were inserted into her pussy, moving in and out as he licked her clit. “Yes, baby, just like that.” Taking his fingers out, Sebastian started sucking harder, tongue flicking against the tip of her clit as he held her shaking legs in place. The orgasm crashed into her, his grip on her legs the only thing holding her up.

Slowing his licks, he pulled back and stood, running a hand down her spine. “Doing okay,  _ iubita?” _

“Fuck,” she muttered, glancing over her shoulder. The look in his eyes was absolutely feral, ramping her arousal up even further. “Seb, I want you.” Moving her hips side to side, she moaned, “Fuck me.”

Making sure her negligee was still pushed to the side, he lined his cock up with her entrance and pushed in slowly. Then, because he knew she liked it, he grabbed her hair at the base of her skull and pulled her head back lightly. His hips started moving and he slid in and out of her wet pussy with ease, going faster and harder as her whimpers increased. Feeling his orgasm imminent, he asked, “Fuck, sweetheart, I’m so close.”

Looking over her shoulder, she growled, “Come for me.”

“Want you… to come… with me,” he grunted between thrusts, not wanting to slow down but not wanting to finish without her.

Elizabeth could already feel another orgasm building, his cock hitting her g-spot over and over again. But to help it along, she took one hand off the dresser and moved it to her clit, rubbing it in time with his thrusts. “Close, baby.” His thrusts grew erratic, the pull of her hair forcing her to arch her back more and she came with a gasp. “SEB!!!” 

Another thrust and Sebastian spilled into her, releasing her hair at the same time. He was still holding her up, but his legs felt like jello. Slipping out of her, he lifted her into his arms and carried her to the bed, laying her down gently. Then he took off her shoes and climbed in next to her, pulling her against him. “Fuck, sweetheart. What got into you?”

Taking several deep breaths, Elizabeth waited until her pulse rate had lowered to almost normal before replying, “Was the real thing better than the fantasy?”

_ “Iubita,”  _ he pushed himself up so he could look down at her, “the real thing is always better than fantasy. I love you. You didn’t have to do any of this for me, Lizzie. I’m happy getting to have you in my arms at night and to wake up with you in the morning.”

Pulling his head down to hers, she kissed him deeply. “I love you too, Seb.” When he laid back down, she rested her head on his chest and trailed her fingers through his chest hair. “When you told me about your fantasy - finding the vibrator, jacking off while I was at work, picturing me coming home and finding you - I got so turned on, I knew I wanted to make it happen.”

A loud growl erupted from her stomach and they both laughed loudly. Sebastian grinned and joked, “Maybe you should have brought a pizza home instead of a negligee.”


	26. Filming

2018

Olive watched as her friend set a chair down in front of the bathroom mirror, then took a seat. “Are you sure you want to do this, Lizzie?” she asked, trepidation evident in her tone.

Sitting down, Elizabeth lifted her hair so it would go behind the chair back and smiled at Olive through the mirror. “Yes. I just want to surprise Sebastian with something new, that’s all.” What she didn’t tell her friend was that the idea of being around the gorgeous women her boyfriend worked with was making her anxious. They were all so perfect with their sculpted bodies and artfully done hair, she felt inferior next to them. Her riotous mass of curls never did what she wanted, and even though she’d learned to style it over the years, it was still the bane of her existence. “Is it hot yet? My plane leaves in a few hours.”

Walking over to the counter, Olive hovered her hand over the straightener. “Yup.” Leaving it, she walked behind Elizabeth and separated her hair, putting half in a messy bun on top of her head. “You’re completely sure?” She ran her fingers through the soft curls, not wanting to do what her friend asked of her.

“Yes.” As Olive picked up the straightener and ran a section of hair through it, she could feel her worries start to melt away. With each additional section, the tension she’d been carrying since Sebastian invited her to Atlanta to visit the set of  _ Avengers: Endgame  _ seemed to disappear. Her eyes met Olive’s in the mirror. “Thanks, Ollie.”

“Don’t thank me,” she muttered. “I’m only doing this so you don’t burn yourself or your hair.”

\----------

A few hours later, Elizabeth couldn’t stop running her fingers through her silky tresses. Her hair had never looked so straight or shiny, the length several inches longer than normal with the curls all ironed out. With it like this, she felt comfortable for the first time in days. While she trusted Sebastian implicitly, she couldn’t help the fact that the women he worked with were beautiful and played into her many insecurities, especially when it came to her hair.

Pulling her suitcase behind her, she walked down the hallway to his hotel room. He knew she was coming and had wanted to pick her up at the airport, but because of their filming schedule, he wouldn't have been able to get there in time. So, she’d told him to go ahead and take a shower, relax a bit, and she would take a cab from the airport. The last thing she wanted was for him to stress out over trying to pick her up.

Stopping in front of his door, she smoothed her hair down and took a deep breath, raising her hand so she could knock on the white wood. Footsteps sounded coming toward the door and her heart started racing. It was the same every time she saw him, even after two years - her heart would flutter and she would get weak in the knees. It still floored her that she got to be with the man she’d loved for so long.

When the door opened, a smile bloomed on her face as she saw his blue eyes and five o’clock shadow. “Seb.” Letting go of the suitcase, she wrapped her arms around him, pressing her face against his shoulder as she relaxed. “God, I missed you.”

Sebastian held her tight, running a hand over her smooth hair. Pulling back, he frowned as he noticed that her beautiful curls were gone. “What did you do to your hair?”

“Do you like it?” She ran her fingers through her brown locks and spun in a circle. “Ollie helped me.”

“Why?”

The one word was so monotone and devoid of emotion that Elizabeth’s heart sank. “I thought you’d like it,” she murmured.

“Why?” he asked again, tilting her head up. “What’s going on, Lizzie?”

“I just wanted to try something different,” she lied.

Grabbing her bag, he headed into the room and set it down near the couch, waiting until she followed him and the door shut before turning back to her. Holding out his hand, when Elizabeth placed her palm on his, he tugged her toward the bathroom, letting go once he was by the shower. Turning on the water, he instructed, “Take off whatever you don’t want to get wet.”

“What?” Her eyes widened, but she kicked off her shoes and took her phone out of her pocket. “Sebastian, what are you going to…” She squealed when he picked her up in his arms and stepped into the shower, setting her down only once they were under the warm spray.

Backing her up so her head was directly under the stream, he reached around her with both hands and worked the water into her hair. Once it was wet enough, he started scrunching the strands, letting out a sigh of relief as the curls started to return. “That’s better,” he murmured as he shut the water off and pulled her into his arms, burying his face against her neck. “I’m sorry.”

“Why?” she whispered.

“I’m sorry I made you feel like you had to do this for me.” Lifting his head, he looked down into her hazel eyes, brushing away the water from her cheek. “You never have to change for me,  _ iubita.  _ I love you. All of you.”

“You didn’t…” she tried to protest, stopping when he raised an eyebrow.

“Lizzie, I don’t know why you did it, but I know I must have done something because…”

“It wasn’t you,” she muttered, pulling out of his arms and stepping out of the shower. With her back to him, she started taking off her soaking wet clothes and grabbed a towel so she could gently squeeze the water out of her hair.

Laying a hand on her shoulder, he asked, “If it wasn’t me, then why did you do it? And don’t try to say that you wanted to try something new. I’ve known you for over twenty years, and in the ten years since I saw you with your hair curly for the first time, you’ve never done anything like this before.”

Could she tell him? “I don’t want you to be upset with me.” Her voice came out at barely a whisper.

Turning her around, his heart broke when he saw tears streaming down her cheeks. “Sweetheart, I will never be upset with you. You can tell me anything.”

“I…” Her gaze dropped to the floor, throat seizing as she tried to get the words out. When he pulled her into his arms again, she started crying even harder. “Scarlett and Elizabeth are just so pretty,” she finally admitted through her tears.

Sebastian didn’t say anything, just kept rubbing her back. He knew that she probably had more to say and his pushing would only cause her to become more upset. So he hummed a Romanian lullaby that he’d long forgotten the words to, hoping it would soothe her.

Taking several deep breaths, Elizabeth tried again, her voice hoarse and quiet. “They’re so perfect. Their bodies, skin, hair…” Stepping away from him, she picked up a handful of her curls and said angrily, “I hate my hair.”

Sebastian stripped off his wet clothes, dropping them by hers on the floor, then lifted her into his arms and carried her to the bed. Setting her down, he took a seat next to her and tilted her face up to his. “I adore your hair,” he confessed, unable to believe that one of his favorite features about her was something she despised. “Elizabeth Gray, I love you. Every single bit of you.” When she tried to turn away, he cupped her face and forced her to look at him. “The night of your first opening, remember how you were wearing your hair down?” She nodded and the corner of his mouth curved into a soft smile. “When I saw your hair spread out on the bed, all I wanted to do was bury my face in your soft curls. God, I thought you were beautiful before that, but when I saw your hair I almost confessed everything right then. To me, you are the most beautiful woman in the world. Are Scarlett and Elizabeth beautiful? Yes, but they don’t compare to you in the slightest. YOU are my happy ending, sweetheart. I don’t need you to be a size zero or have perfectly straight hair. I will love you if you gain weight and when your hair goes gray… I will love you until your last breath. Forever, Lizzie.”

Tears streaming down her face, Elizabeth reached up and cupped his face in her hands. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be sorry, sweetheart.” Leaning forward, he rested his forehead against hers. “You have absolutely nothing to apologize for. I’m the one who should be sorry for ever making you doubt yourself.”

“No,” she said firmly, lifting his face so she could look in his eyes. Hers still swam with tears, but she cleared her throat and stated, “It’s not your fault, it’s just shit leftover from when I was young.” Pulling his face toward hers, she kissed him softly. “I love you too, you know. Every single bit of you. I will love you if you gain weight and when you go gray. You are it for me, Seb.”

Rubbing his thumb on her cheek, he brushed away the tears and grinned. “Now, are you hungry or do you want to break this bed in then meet the others for dinner in an hour or so?”

Pushing him back on the bed, she straddled his hips and moved against him. “What do you think?”


	27. New Home

2018 

Rolling over in bed, Elizabeth stared up at the ceiling. She was exhausted after she and Sebastian had spent the entire week going all over New York City and the surrounding area looking for a new condo for him. While he loved his current home, he wanted to upgrade to a slightly bigger and nicer place since his paychecks had gotten larger. Unfortunately, he had already sold his other condo, so finding a new place was kind of time-critical. She had offered to let him live with her, but all he’d said was that he didn’t want to impose. 

After that, they’d fought. It wasn’t bad, more of a calm disagreement than anything else, but it had made it so the last time they’d been intimate was several days ago. He was still sleeping in her bed, but other than the occasional soft kiss and cuddling while they slept, they were barely touching. It was driving her nuts, but she knew it was due to his anxiety, not to mention her insecurities, so she’d been trying to give them both grace to figure this thing out without arguing.

When he stirred, she sat up and swung her legs over the edge of the bed. “Mornin’.”

Sebastian rolled onto his side and swallowed a sigh. He missed their morning lovemaking, but he knew it was his fault. “Hey, sweetheart.” Sitting up, he raised his arms, interlaced his fingers, and stretched from side to side. “Jack has a couple of places for me to check out today. Do you want to come, or would you rather stay at home?”

Rubbing her eyes, she sighed. “Do you want me there?”

Moving so he was behind her with his legs bracketing her body, he wrapped his arms around her stomach and rested his chin on her shoulder. “Lizzie, I always want you with me, but I don’t want to force you if you…”

Laying her hands on top of his, she let out a relieved breath. This was the closest they’d been in days and she wanted to savor the moment. “I’ll come.”

“I love you, _ iubita,” _he murmured against her skin.

“I love you too, Seb,” she replied just as softly. “What time are we meeting Jack?”

Lifting his head to look at the clock, he groaned. “We’ve only got an hour to get ready and then meet him at the first place. There are only two he's showing us today - a brownstone and some new development that Jack thinks I might like.”

Pulling out of his arms and standing, she went over to the dresser to get out a pair of jeans and a blue sweater. “Then we should probably get ready.”

\----------

As Jack put the key into the door of the brownstone, Elizabeth could see how much Sebastian liked it. The location was far enough away from the hustle and bustle of the city that he could relax, but still close enough that he could visit whenever he wanted. It was the family house he’d always dreamed of, a place he could settle down in. Slipping her hand into his, she pulled him into the house where Jack stood with a grin on his face.

Gesturing around inside, Jack said, “Take all the time you need. The owners are out of town for the weekend. I’ll be in the kitchen if you have any questions.”

“C’mon, lover,” Elizabeth murmured, pulling him up the stairs. “Let’s see what the bedrooms are like.”

As they walked down the upstairs hallway, she could see that it was clearly a family home. Pictures lined the hallway of a very normal family - mom, dad, two kids - pictures where they all looked incredibly happy. They peered into the first room, seeing pink everywhere. There was a canopy bed, frilly comforter, stuffed animals lined up on the bed against the wall… definitely a stereotypical little girl’s room. In the second room, Elizabeth’s heart started to pound. They’d talked about a family, having one someday, but to see a crib next to the toddler bed made her want that more than anything. But they weren’t even living together yet, so having a child was not going to happen anytime soon.

When they got to the main bedroom, she nudged his shoulder. “So, think your bed can fit in here?”

Sebastian chuckled and looked around. The room was a little smaller than he’d like, but it was large enough for his wood frame king bed. “Yeah, I think so.” Pulling her into his arms, he placed one hand on her lower back lifting the other to cup her cheek. “I like this place.”

“It’s nice,” she replied hesitantly.

“You don’t like it?”

Trying to hide her indecision, she bit down on her lower lip. “It’s not that I don’t like it, it’s just that…” Sighing, she rested her head on his chest so she didn’t have to look into his eyes. “It’s so far away.”

“It’s not that far,” he countered before realizing what she meant. “Sweetheart,” he tilted her head up, “this won’t change how much time we spend together.”

“I know, it’s just…”

“It’s far from your apartment.” When she nodded, he chuckled lightly. “Let’s at least take a look at the rest of the house, then we can go see the new development that Jack won’t stop yammering about, okay?”

“Sure.”

They finished the walk-through of the house, taking note of how cozy it felt. The brownstone was rather large for New York City, but the way it had been built there were hallways and rooms everywhere, nothing like the open plans of current builds. The kitchen was also a bit outdated, but that was an easy fix. The one thing that Elizabeth noticed about the brownstone is that it was the perfect family home. As they finished their walk-through, she watched Sebastian’s face, seeing the joy he tried to hide. She knew it probably reminded him of his parents' house, warm and inviting. “You really like it, don’t you?”

“It’s okay.”

“Seb,” she frowned at him, “if you like it, you should put in an offer. It’s going to be your house.”

“Sweetheart, I…”

“So, are you guys ready to see the next place?” Jack interrupted as he walked into the room.

\----------

The condo Jack took them to was in a high rise on the thirtieth floor. It was huge… and modern. White and gray walls, a wide-open floor plan, a sleek kitchen, and three bedrooms. The place was unlike any of the others they’d visited, with hardwood floors and windows along one wall of the open space. The kitchen merged into the dining room, which was also connected to the living room. One large area that was bigger than Elizabeth’s entire apartment.

Sebastian watched the way her face lit up as she looked around. Jack had told him a bit about this development, so he knew about the wall of windows and the natural light it got during most of the day. With the wood flooring and neutral walls, it was beautiful. While it wasn’t exactly what he’d been looking for, seeing the joy on her face as she glided through the condo helped make his decision infinitely easier. As she stared out the window, he walked over and wrapped his arms around her waist from behind. “So, what do you think?”

“The light in this place...” she murmured before catching herself. Buying a new place was not about what she liked or wanted, it was to allow him to upgrade into something he would enjoy. Instead of telling him how much she loved it, she tried to downplay her thoughts. “It’s nice. Got a nice view of Central Park, but… it's rather close to the center of town and I know that you wanted someplace quieter. Plus, it’s modern. I know you prefer woods and warm tones.”

“Yeah, I usually do,” he agreed. Pressing a kiss to her shoulder, he hinted, “I’m not just looking for something that I’ll love.” He burned to tell her that he wanted her to move in with him, but after he turned down her offer, he didn’t want to do it just yet.

Elizabeth didn’t pick up on his hint, so she turned her head to look at him. “Seb, you need to be happy in the place that you buy.” Turning in his arms, she interlaced her fingers behind his neck and smiled. “You should get the brownstone. It’s in a suburb, but still close enough to go to Don’s. Plus, I could tell how much you loved it.”

Shaking his head, Sebastian couldn’t help but laugh. _ “Te iubesc, iubita.” _

_“Și eu te iubesc, dulce băiat." _Pressing a kiss to his lips, she eased out of his arms and glanced around the room regretfully. “This condo is just okay,” she lied. “Tell Jack you’ll take the other place.”

He raised an eyebrow, but nodded and went over to where Jack stood in the kitchen, out of hearing range. His realtor gave him a curious look. “Chosen a place yet?”

“Yeah, I’m gonna take this one.”

Jack looked over at Elizabeth who had her arms around her waist, smiling as she gazed out the window. “She loves it, doesn’t she?”

He laughed. “Yeah, she does. Won’t admit it, of course, but out of the last fifteen places we’ve seen this is the only one that made her eyes light up.” Sebastian’s gaze flitted over to his love and he sighed wistfully. “Her words said otherwise, but I can tell that the open floor plan and the light are things she loves. She’s a photographer and works from home sometimes, so I can see her setting up a workspace on one side of the living room.”

“Does she work with film, or digital?”

“Both, depending on if it’s for a magazine or a gallery showing.”

“Well…” Taking a step closer, Jack lowered his voice. “There is a small room without any windows, it could easily be converted into a dark room.”

“No windows?” Sebastian couldn’t keep the disbelief out of his tone.

Shrugging, he said, “I’m not sure why they designed it that way, but the living areas and the bedrooms are along the two walls with windows. There was a leftover space, so they put a small room in, saying they could bill it as a walk-in closet or pantry. It’s not very large, too small to be counted as a bedroom, but it should be big enough for her needs.”

“Put in an offer, whatever you think will get them to say yes.” There was no way that Sebastian wasn’t getting the place his Lizzie loved, with or without a room for her to work with film.

“Are you sure? We can probably get a good deal because it’s been on the market for a while.”

Shaking his head, he stated firmly, “I don’t care. The only thing that matters is she loves it.”

“You know, you should like it too,” Jack added hesitantly.

“I do.” When Jack raised an eyebrow, he repeated, “I do. Yes, it’s not my usual style, but the view is beautiful, everything is new, nothing needs to be updated, and it’s huge.”

“Alright, I’ll get started on the paperwork.”

\----------

Two weeks later, Elizabeth was starting to feel the effects of not having had sex with Sebastian since their disagreement. He’d purchased a place, not telling her which one he chose, but said that he loved it. When he wasn’t moving into his new place, he was at work, so not only had they not had sex, they’d barely spent any time together. She wished she could have helped, but he wouldn’t let her, saying he wanted to surprise her when it was done. Wherever he had moved, the previous owners had gotten out of it quickly. It hadn’t even taken a week before he’d needed to start dealing with the hassle that came with having a new home.

But, Chris and Anthony were in the city visiting, so they’d decided to go out and play laser tag. Which is why she was crouched behind a short wall, peering over it to see if the guys were anywhere near. She could hear laughter and cursing each time the sound rang that someone got shot. Instead of running around, she just kept her position, not wanting to exert herself too much.

Footsteps sounded behind her and she turned, but not in time to avoid getting shot in the chest. Glaring, she grumbled, “You aren’t supposed to shoot your girlfriend.”

Sebastian held out a hand and helped her stand. “Sorry, _ iubita.” _He grinned before pulling her into his arms. “God, I wish we were home right now.” Taking the gun out of her hands, he set both of them on the ground, then backed her into the dark corner. “How would you feel about a little exhibitionism?”

“Seb?” she whispered.

He nuzzled the side of her neck. “I remember the day Angie fingered you in the bar like it was yesterday. You don’t even know how much I wished her fingers were mine. Plus,” he moved his lips up to hers and pressed a soft kiss to them, “it’s been three weeks.”

“Yes,” she moaned as his fingers touched the front of her jeans.

Moving both hands to her pants, he unbuttoned them, then lowered the zipper slowly. In her ear, he whispered, “Don’t worry, I told Chris to keep Anthony and the others busy. They’ll give us some space.”

As his fingers dipped into her pants and underwear, brushing against her clit, she asked, “You told Chris?”

“Don’t worry, I told him about something else I wanted the time for. But that can wait until after.” A finger dipped inside of her wet pussy and another rubbed at her clit. She started to whimper and moan, so he slipped another finger into her. “I love you, sweetheart.”

“I love you too,” she gasped out as he inserted a third finger, stretching her until her hips began to move involuntarily. “Fuck,” she moaned, trying to keep quiet. The orgasm that built inside of her was going to be explosive, she hadn’t even been able to get herself off in the three weeks they’d gone without sex. “I can’t… Fuck, Seb, I can’t be quiet.”

“Don’t worry, _ iubita. _I’ve got you.” He started kissing her, swallowing her moans and gasps as he fucked her with his fingers, thumb rubbing her clit. When her body started to shake, he moved his thumb faster, holding his fingers in place as she screamed into his mouth and her pussy clenched down repeatedly. Once she stopped shivering, he slipped his fingers out of her then sucked her juices off the digits. “Fuck, love, you taste delicious.”

“Fuuuccckkk, Seb,” she groaned as he did her pants back up. “What about you?”

“We can worry about me later.” Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out an Empire State Building keychain with a single key attached and grabbed her hand so he could place it on her palm. “I’m sorry for saying I wouldn’t move into your apartment.”

“You don’t have to…”

“Hush, sweetheart, let me do this.” He closed her fingers over the key. “I never meant to hurt you, but I said no because I wanted to do this right. I bought the condo in the high rise.” As she opened her mouth to argue, he laid a finger over her lips. “I know you think I loved the brownstone better, but when I saw how happy you were in the condo, I knew I couldn’t pick anything else.”

“Seb,” she murmured.

“I love you, Lizzie. I love falling asleep with you in my arms and I love waking up with you each morning. My schedule already takes me away from you enough, so I just want to…”

Pulling his hand away from her face, she muttered, “What are you...?”

“I want you to move in with me.”

“Seb?” Elizabeth looked down at the key with the reminder of so many memories they’d made there, then into his hopeful eyes. “Yes.”

“Yes?” He couldn’t keep the surprise out of his voice.

“Yes,” she reiterated more firmly. Sticking the key in her pocket, she grabbed his shirt and pulled him closer, then wrapped her arms around his waist and looked up at him. “Now, can we go to this new condo so we can break it in properly?”

Laughing, he nodded. “Let’s get out of here.”

“Chris and Mackie?”

“Chris expected us to leave once I asked you to move in. Don't worry, he’ll let Mackie know.”


	28. Anniversary

2019

“How’s your steak, love?” Elizabeth asked Sebastian, lips curving into a soft smile. He’d taken her to a fancy restaurant, one with items that they couldn’t get on a normal basis, and he’d ordered a basic steak. Granted, it was an expensive cut of meat, but it was still just steak. She had gotten some fancy salad with chicken and fruit in a tangy dressing, and while it was more expensive than she would normally pay, it was delicious.

“Best steak I’ve had in a while,” he said after finishing chewing. Glancing down at her salad, he inquired, “How’s yours? Better than pizza from Joe’s?”

“Well, nothing is better than pizza from Joe’s,” she chuckled, “but this is a close second.” Even though she’d tried - and failed - to convince him that she didn’t need him to spend an exorbitant amount of money on a single meal just for her, he’d countered that he wanted to spoil her. He could be very persuasive though...

_ “Seb, I don’t need an expensive meal,” Elizabeth tried to argue, even as he nibbled on the side of her neck while unclasping her bra. “I just want to spend our third anniversary together and…” She gasped as his calloused thumb grazed over her nipple. _

_ Lifting his head, he grinned as his hands drifted down to her waist to undo the button on her jeans. “Are you saying I’m not allowed to spoil you?” Slipping his fingers into the waistband of her pants, he started to pull down the denim as well as the lace of her panties. “I mean... if you don’t want me to spoil you…” _

_ He stopped pulling her clothes down and she whimpered, “Seb…” _

_ Groaning, he pulled them the rest of the way off, then settled in between her legs, his cloth-covered cock pressing against her mound. As his hips moved involuntarily, he kissed her, tongue dancing against hers. Lifting his head, he couldn’t help but moan at the look of lust in her eyes. “I just want to show you how much I love you,” he said softly. _

_ Taking a deep breath, Elizabeth lifted both her hands to his face. “Sebastian, I know you love me. I don’t need things, or fancy meals, just you.” _

_ “I know, just…” _

_ Sensing his apprehension, she made a choice. “How about that new place down the road? It’s a little expensive, but it’s gotten good reviews and…” _

_ He leaned down and kissed her, lowering his boxers enough to be able to grasp his cock. Dragging the head up and down her wet slit, he pushed in slightly and groaned. Once he was fully seated, he looked down at her. “I love you.” _

Swallowing a groan, Elizabeth gave a nod of thanks to the waiter as they cleaned up the table, then held out her hand to her boyfriend. When he took it, she whispered, “I’m so fucking horny right now.” Thinking about how he’d convinced her to let him take her out had managed to turn her on. It didn’t matter that they’d had sex in the shower before getting ready for dinner, she wanted him again.

Seeing the look in her eyes, he gulped. God, he really didn’t want to get an erection in a fancy restaurant, but could still feel his cock twitch in his slacks. “Fuck,  _ iubita,”  _ he groaned. He had to close his eyes to compose himself. When he opened them again, she had a huge grin on her face. “We should get dessert first. I hear they make a mean peach flambé.”

“Flambé?” Her heart started pounding. They’d been talking about getting married and starting a family, ever since they’d visited Chris in Boston and had to deal with his nieces and nephews clamoring to spend time with the Winter Soldier. It had started her biological clock ticking, seeing him interacting with the young children. Not only that, but the smile he got as he played with them on the floor had warmed her heart. Why would he insist on dessert, unless…

“I mean, the chocolate peanut butter cheesecake sounds delicious, but flambé just sounds like something you would get at a fancy restaurant.” He flagged down the waiter who headed their way. “Want to share?”

“Yes,” she managed to get out, hiding the nerves that had overtaken her. After the visit, all she wanted to do was marry him and have his children, but they hadn’t talked about the timeline, just that it would happen eventually. Even so, thinking back on it still made her happy.

_ In Chris’s guest bedroom, Elizabeth laid her head on Sebastian’s chest, fingers playing with his chest hair. “You’re really good with children.” _

_ Eyes crinkling as he smiled, he said, “So are you, sweetheart. I think little Ella liked you the best. She wouldn’t even let you give her back to her mom for feeding. Watching you give her a bottle…” His voice trailed off as he sighed. “God, love, I wanted her to be ours.” _

_ Pushing up, she looked down into his eyes. “You did?” _

_ “Yes.” He reached up, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear that had escaped her french braid. “I know we haven’t talked about it yet, but…” He took a deep breath. “Fuck, to be honest, I didn’t even think I wanted kids until I saw you with her.” _

_ Before he could say anything else, she laid a finger on his lips. “I was about to say the same thing. Watching you play with Jasper and Makayla - throwing them in the air, laying on the floor playing with their Avenger figures - it made me realize that I wanted that with you. That I wanted to… to start a family.” She pressed a soft kiss to his lips, not deepening it because there were too many people in the house for her to have him as she desired. “Not yet, of course, but one day.” _

_ “I love you, sweetheart.” He pulled her into his arms, running a hand down her hair as he sighed in content. “But you know what I really want? It’s something that I never really thought I would get, especially before we started dating.” _

_ “What?” she inquired softly, heart pounding. _

_ “Before we have children, I want to marry you. Profess my desire to spend the rest of my life with you in front of all our friends and family.” As he felt a tear fall on his chest, he pulled her closer and murmured, “And after we are married, I want a child with you. A little girl who looks just like her mother, with curly brown hair and a smile that could stop traffic.” _

_ “And her father’s blue eyes,” she added, closing her own against the onslaught of emotions that threatened to make her start crying. “I want her to have your eyes.” _

As the waiter came back to the table, Elizabeth snapped out of her memory and stared as it was set down and lit on fire. Looking over at Sebastian, she couldn’t help but laugh. “Oh my God, Seb!”

“I know,” he grimaced and shook his head. But when he looked into her eyes, there was nothing but mirth in them. “It’s a little much, isn’t it?” 

The flame died out and Elizabeth picked up her fork, digging into the gooey dessert. Raising the bite to her mouth, she closed her lips around the silverware and groaned while pulling it out. “Holy hell, Seb, this is delicious.”

Sebastian took a bite and his eyes widened in surprise at how good it actually was. “Okay, that was worth it. Even if I didn’t get the cheesecake.”

Before taking another bite, she murmured, “We could have gotten that instead.”

Setting the fork on the plate, he grabbed her hand. “Sweetheart, I know this fancy stuff isn’t really us.” Rubbing a thumb on her palm, he added, “Next anniversary we’ll do something that’s more laid back. Promise.”

Raising an eyebrow, she harrumphed. Since they’d started dating, he would get her to agree to expensive trips and outings, using the excuse that he wanted to spoil her. Not that she hated him spending money on her, it was just completely unnecessary. “Can I get that in writing,  _ dulce  _ _ băiat _ _ ?” _ she asked jokingly.

“Do you have a pen?” He had no intention of going back on his word, but he would do anything to make her happy. When she reached into her bag and gave him one, he took the paper napkin that had been under his drink and spoke as he wrote. “I, Sebastian Stan, solemnly swear that our fourth anniversary will be whatever Lizzie’s heart desires.” Then he scrawled his signature underneath it and handed the napkin and pen to her. “There you go,  _ draga mea,  _ my promise to you.”

“Seb,” she murmured, looking down at his nearly unintelligible handwriting through tears in her eyes.

“Let’s finish dessert, sweetheart. I have a surprise for you at home.”

\----------

Having her fingers intertwined with Sebastian’s was the only reason Elizabeth’s hand wasn’t shaking. When he’d said a surprise at home, her mind went straight to an engagement ring. Neither one of them was usually big on grand gestures of affection - especially when it was in front of people they didn’t know - so she could see him waiting until they got home to ask her.

As they stepped into their condo, he let go of her hand and shut the door, locking it. Pressing a gentle kiss to her lips, he turned her around to face the window, leaving the lights off. Hands on her hips, he walked her over to the window, pressing his hips and burgeoning erection against her ass. “I love this view.”

She leaned back against him, snuggling as his hands moved to her stomach. As much as she wanted him to ask on his own time, she was starting to get antsy. “So, what’s this surprise you were talking about?”

Even though she couldn’t see him, he grinned. “Place your hands on the glass, sweetheart.” As she turned her head to look at him in confusion, he chuckled. “Ever since Angie, then laser tag, I’ve wondered what it would be like to fuck you with the chance of getting caught.” His hands drifted back to her hips and scrunched up the silky material of her sheath, pulling it up little by little. “Now, there’s a reason I left the lights off. As much as the idea of getting caught turns me on, I don’t want anyone else to see you but me.”

Elizabeth lifted an arm behind her head, wrapping it around his neck as his fingers grazed over bare skin. “Fuck, Seb,” she moaned.

“But still, just think about who could be watching us. Seeing me fuck you from behind to a screaming orgasm. Watch as your breasts bounce up and down.” He pulled the dress up higher until he could take it off and toss it to the side. “Hands on the window, sweetheart.”

As she did, he disappeared from her back and she heard his jacket fall to the floor and him loosen his tie. Fuck, she could imagine his fingers pulling at the blue fabric, leaving it hanging around his neck. When the zipper of his slacks sounded, she spread her legs and pressed her hips back, waiting for what she knew was to come.

Pulling his cock out of his pants, he stepped forward and ran a hand down her back, then slapped lightly at the flesh of her ass. The whimper that escaped her mouth made him impossibly harder and he gripped her hair in one hand, pulling back on her head. “Fuck,  _ iubita, _ seeing you like this…” With his other hand, he guided his cock to her wet entrance, slipping the head in. “I want to make you come so many fucking times, but I can’t wait.”

Looking back at him, she growled, “Fuck me, Sebastian. Make me scream.”

His hand left her hair, then gripped each side of her hips and thrust in hard. Pulling out slowly, he thrust in hard again, groaning as her fingernails scraped against the glass and she moaned. Again, over and over, he moved back with great care, then his hips jutted forward quickly. Holding himself still inside of her, he moved one hand to her back and felt her trembling. “I’m gonna fuck you hard and fast now, sweetheart.”

“Please, Seb,” she whimpered, trying to move her hips so he’d move again. “Been on edge all night… please… need to come.”

He leaned forward and pressed a kiss to her back, then straightened and dug his fingers into her hips. “Your wish is my command.”

His hips started moving faster, pounding his cock in and out of her at a fast and furious pace. Her whimpers and moans grew louder and more frequent, pussy tightening as his hips began to stutter. “Fuck, sweetheart, ‘m so close.”

Elizabeth’s eyes opened and saw Sebastian’s in the reflection of the window, sending an orgasm ripping through her. As her pussy clenched down on his cock, she screamed, “FUCK!!! SEB!!!!”

He started pounding into her faster, then gripped her hips and thrust in one last time, holding himself against her as he spilled inside of her. Wrapping his arm around her waist, he lifted her up and pressed a kiss to the side of her neck as he slipped out of her. “Fucking hell,  _ iubita.  _ That was…”

“Mind-blowing,” she groaned, body shaking with aftershocks of pleasure. Even with her brain being mush from the force of her orgasm, she still felt a little sad that he hadn’t asked her to marry him. Maybe he was waiting, but she wasn’t sure she could anymore. All she wanted was to spend the rest of her life with him, be able to say that he was legally hers. “So, I’m not tired. Any more surprises tonight?” It might be pushy, but she needed to know if it was going to happen. If not, she was going to need to make plans to take care of it herself.

Chuckling, he picked her up in his arms and carried her toward their bedroom. “Well, if my plan to make you come over and over is a surprise, then yes.” Setting her down on the bed, he laid down next to her, propping himself up. “I love you.”

“I love you too.”

\----------

A week after their anniversary, Elizabeth was leaning against the bathroom counter with a thermometer in her mouth. Sebastian had left for a business trip a few days ago and she’d been throwing up almost since the day he left. When it beeped, she pulled it out of her mouth and frowned. It was completely normal.

Opening the medicine cabinet, she put it away and saw her birth control pills. Fuck, what day was it? Closing her eyes, she thought back to when her last period was. She took her pill religiously, every day at the same time, but there was the rare occasion when she forgot. But she honestly couldn’t remember the last time she had done that and had sex with Sebastian.

Taking a deep breath, she opened her eyes and crouched down, digging into the back of the cabinet under the sink to find the box of pregnancy tests she’d bought the last time her period was late. Unfortunately, she couldn’t remember if she even had her last scheduled period, so she could be anywhere from two to six weeks late. Going into the bathroom, she carefully peed on the test and took it to the counter, setting it down and setting the timer on her phone. It was the most nerve-wracking two minutes of her life. While she wanted nothing more than to have his baby, getting pregnant by accident was not… The phone beeped and she gulped, then looked down at the test. Fuck. Two lines. She was pregnant.

Looking in the mirror, she laid a hand on her belly, the corners of her mouth curving into a smile. She was pregnant. Sebastian was going to be over the moon when he found out. Her smile turned into a frown. He still hadn’t asked her to marry him. Not that marriage was necessary to start a family, but she wanted to be Mrs. Stan - even though she was keeping her last name because of her photography. She wanted to be able to call him her husband. That’s it, she was taking it into her own hands.

Picking up the phone, she dialed the number of the one person she knew would be able to help her. When he picked up, she asked jovially, “Hey Mack-attack, how’s tricks?”

He chuckled. “Hey, chickadee. What’s up?”

“I need your help…”


	29. Happily Ever After

2019 

Elizabeth laid a protective hand on her belly, nervous for what she was about to do. She was hiding out in one of the trailers at the Atlanta film location for _The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, _ waiting for Anthony to tell her that she could come out. When Sebastian had asked her to join him for the launch party she had lied, telling him that she had a gallery opening that couldn't be missed. Hopefully, that little white lie wouldn't piss him off too much, especially after what she was about to do.

There was a knock at the door and it opened, Anthony peeking his head inside. “Hey, chickadee. You about ready to do this?”

Standing up, she took a deep steadying breath. “As I'll ever be.”

He blocked her exit, frowning slightly. “Just one thing. I know you were planning on telling Sebastian about you know what, but I think you should wait until later.”

“You can say it you know,” she said chuckling. “I'm pregnant, not dying of cancer.”

“I know, it's just…” Anthony tried to come up with a good excuse as to why she should wait, but no lie would convince her to not do what she had planned. He knew her well enough to know that. “Look, I can't tell you what I know, just trust me when I say you should wait.”

“Don’t worry, I decided to wait to tell him I'm pregnant until after. I want his answer to be of his own free will, not just because I'm having his child.”

Giving her a soft smile, he shook his head. “I don’t think you have to worry about that.” Anthony moved out of the way, down the stairs of the trailer. “Well, come on. I've got a microphone all set up for you off to the side so we can do it exactly as we planned.” When they got over to the platform area that had been set up for speeches, Anthony handed her the microphone, showing her how to turn it on when she needed it, then he gave her his signature smile and kissed her cheek. “Sebastian is incredibly lucky to have you in his life.” Then he left and went on stage, holding up his hands when people started to clap. “All right, all right, all right... No need to cheer me on, I'm just here to love on one of my best friends for a minute.” He pointed at Sebastian. “Seabass over there is one of my best friends, and unfortunately, his lady love couldn't share in this moment with him today. However, I did plan a little something with her for him, so we have a few pictures and a recording that she made.”

Elizabeth saw the first slide pop up on the screen, a picture of Sebastian on the left, and one of her on the right. Both from before they met. Turning on the microphone, she brought it up to her mouth. “I met Sebastian when I was twelve. Our headmaster, who turned out to be Seb's father, brought this adorably pudgy Romanian boy into my classroom. And yes, in case you’re wondering, I miss his accent.”

Clicking to the next slide, she almost cried when she saw the picture of her and Sebastian on the couch after their first accidental overnight, and she could hear the crowd cooing over how adorable they looked. “When I told my _Naşă_ that I wanted to do this for Sebastian, she showed me this picture. It was taken twenty-four years ago after I accidentally stayed too late at his house. I'm wearing his shirt because I hadn’t been planning on spending the night. I was also supposed to sleep in his bed while he slept on the couch, but we were talking and fell asleep in that uncomfortable position that you see us in. When Georgeta showed me the picture, she told me how when she saw us like that together she knew that we were soulmates, that we were meant for each other. Well, it only took us twenty years to get there.” Closing her eyes, she tried to keep the tears from falling. “But let's be honest, Seb, if we had dated in high school we probably wouldn't have lasted.”

She switched to the next slide, the picture on top of the Empire State building where Sebastian had picked her up and twirled her around in his arms. “This is quite possibly one of my favorite pictures of us. We've recreated it a couple of times since, but this one is still my favorite. We were so young, so carefree... And while we were really good friends back then, there was no attraction between us. We were too young for that.”

Elizabeth flipped to the picture of her and Sebastian in the same pose after they had become friends again in 2008. “We fell out of touch after college, which is a long and depressing story that I don't want to go into right now. But after my first gallery opening, I thought I saw him there and instantly all my memories and regrets flooded back. I went over to his childhood home and his parents called him to come over. Again, the story is long and depressing and I don't want to talk about it. But suffice it to say, if it weren't for Anthony and Georgeta, we never would have become friends again.” Taking a deep breath, she tried to remember the good that came from their separation, instead of the painful memories it brought up. “This picture was taken the morning after. We went to the Empire State building and recreated our childhood picture. I swore that I would never let anything come between us again. Considering how many different women Seb dated over the eight years we were apart, I'm pretty impressed that we managed to stay friends. Especially considering the fact that I've loved him for longer than that.”

Flipping to the next slide, it had a series of three pictures on it. The three that made her truly famous. This is when she walked up onto the stage, standing in front of the presentation. “So anybody that knows Sebastian, or at least has seen enough of him to know his body decently, will know that these are of him.” She smiled out at the crowd, letting a tear fall down her face when Sebastian mouthed,_ I love you._ She held out her hand and he came up on stage, intertwining his fingers with hers. “This was after the _ Captain America _premiere. He was uncomfortable doing a sexy photo shoot for Cosmo, but Hayley had the great idea of doing a personal shoot with me instead. Little did he know what he was getting himself into. To be honest, I’m still surprised he let me photograph him nude.”

The crowd laughed and Sebastian’s cheeks pinkened. He grabbed her other hand and brought the mic to his face. “Hey, I'll just have you know that nothing untoward happened when we took those pictures.”

“Yeah, right,” Anthony goaded.

Elizabeth took the microphone back. “I can go on and on about Sebastian Stan, talking about how wonderful he is and how much I love him and how proud I am of the work that he's done. But the most important thing is how excited I am to share this next part of the journey with you.” She turned toward him, intending to ask him what she had been planning, but he pulled his hand away and got down on one knee. “What are you doing, Seb?” she whispered, forgetting the microphone was still in her hand.

He grabbed her left hand with his, then took the microphone from her other as her arm lowered. “Lizzie, I’ve loved you for years. When I finally got to have you in my life, it felt like a dream come true. I kept expecting to wake up and have it all be a dream.” His voice broke and he lowered his head, closing his eyes against the tears that threatened to fall. After taking a deep breath, Sebastian raised his head, looking straight into his love’s eyes. “Elizabeth Gray, you are the best thing to ever happen to me.” Setting the microphone down, he reached into his pocket and pulled out the ring he had put there, waiting for a moment like this. “I love you more than I ever thought possible. Will you marry me?”

Tears poured down her cheeks, making it impossible for her to reply. Instead, she nodded, swiping at the liquid on her face. Sebastian slides the ring onto her finger and stands, cupping her face with both hands and rubbing his thumbs along her skin. “Yes,” she breathed. “Yes.”

Leaning forward, he kissed her as the gathered crowd cheered for them. When he pulled back, he said soft enough that only she heard, “I love you.”

“I love you too, Seb. Always and forever.”

For the next hour, they endured the well-wishes from their friends and family, trying to calm down their mothers who couldn’t stop crying. Once they managed to do that, they had to deal with them starting to plan their wedding.

After several minutes of that, Elizabeth groaned and interjected, “Mom, _ Naşă__, _I love you guys, but I need to talk to Seb alone for a bit.” Then she grabbed his hand and pulled him away from their parents, away from the crowd. Ignoring Chris and Anthony when they tried to stop them, she took him behind the stage and pulled him into her arms. “God, I love you.”

“I love you too, _iubita." _He pressed a kiss to her forehead. “How did I get so lucky to have you in my life?”

“I think we both got lucky.” Stepping back, she took his hand and pressed his palm against her lower stomach. “Remember how I promised you my firstborn in exchange for nudes?”

He was just about to laugh when he noticed the soft look in her eyes and realized that she had his hand pressed to her lower belly. “Wait, are you…” She nodded and a huge grin crossed over his face. “We're having a baby?” Picking her up in his arms, he twirled her around, shouting, “I’m going to be a father!!”

Laughing, when he set her down she reached up and cupped his jaw, replying softly, “You’re going to be the best father, Seb.”

“How far along are…”

“I’m not exactly sure, but I’m pretty sure I'm still in my first trimester. I wanted to wait until I told you to go to the first appointment so you could go with me.” The smile lit up his face and she couldn’t help but return it. “I love you, Seb. I can’t wait until I finally get to call you mine forever.”

_ “Iubita, _I’ll be yours regardless.” Kissing her again, he drew her into his arms, threading the fingers of one hand into her curly hair. “You are my happily ever after. It was always you, Lizzie.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Annnnnddd... that's a wrap.  
Thank you all for being on this journey with me. It took me longer than I'd originally anticipated, but with the pandemic causing my depression to flare back up, which in turn killed my motivation, I just had a hard time writing.  
Even though it took almost a year to complete, I hope you all love it as much as I do.


End file.
